Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble
by Faye1
Summary: A malicious force is poised to merge two worlds together to restore magic to a world that has been without for eleven years. Sabin, Edgar, and a handful of friends meet up with Squall and other members of SeeD to combine their forces to right this wrong.
1. Part 1 - Chapter 1

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART I**

Chapter 1

            Edgar walked down a dimly lit hallway on his way to bed. He had just endured a long and arduous day; he felt worn and drained of strength. He passed by his twin brother's room, and stopped not two feet away from the doorway. He took a few steps back, the cape upon his shoulders billowing as he moved. Edgar peered into the open doorway and spied his brother's still form. He sighed.   
            "Brother," He whispered to the sleeping hulk, "You would never let trivial things such as state matters wear you out." Edgar shook his head, disgusted with his own inner failings and weaknesses. Here he was, one of the few people who banded against the tyrant Kefka and survived. Battles more strenuous and life-threatening than anything currently in his life never wore him out like this.  "They were wrong, whoever said that 40 is when your life starts to go downhill; its 38." He shifted his weight, and leaned against the doorway frame, "I admire you, Sabin. I only wish I were as strong as you. When you left, shortly after father's death, I had thought you abandoned me. I was never so wrong in my entire life. You knew, brother. Above us all, you knew that the Empire had done something to our family, and you knew that they wouldn't stop there. You're foresight, your...premonition, rather, told you that someday I -and Figaro- would need your help and you wanted to prepare for it. You needed your freedom to be able to do so; you sacrificed so much, Sabin..."  
            Edgar straightened up and turned on his heels, casting a faraway glance behind his back,   
            "Goodnight, Sabin. Sleep well.." Edgar stayed in the doorway a moment, eyes closed in reflection. Why was he beating himself up like this? He attributed it to overtiredness and stress. Edgar was about to head back towards his room when he felt a strong grip on his shoulder. He turned to face his twin,  
            "Sabin. I--"  
            "Edgar, you worry too much. First off, I should give you a kick in the ass for talking to yourself like that, but you did a good enough job of beating yourself up on your own." Edgar just looked at his brother, staring, "And yes, before you ask, I do get worn out by attending to state matters. I'm no different than you; we're twins, remember?" He chuckled softly, "And think, Edgar. Wasn't there a time when you had to rule alone and have this burden solely on your shoulders? Now we rule jointly; the duty we now share is one you once bore alone." Edgar nodded, understanding what his brother was saying to him, "Also, I went away because of my 'premonition', but I inadvertently left you to take care of everything alone; the country, our people, the initial battle against the Empire. I wasn't even here when Kefka nearly burnt Figaro Castle down to the ground. We both have our flaws, brother, but also we each have our merits. You just have to rise above what you think you can't do, and focus on what you can." Sabin paused, letting his brother absorb what he said, "So, after that drawn-out speech, what I really meant to say is that we are both strong, and each in our own unique ways. Get to sleep, you old fart, or _I'll_ have to do something 'bout your 'insomnia'." He again smiled at his brother. Thoughts of young Gau calling him 'Mr. Thou' entered his head.  
            "Oh no, don't tell me I'm turning into Cyan now," he whispered to himself. Edgar smiled back, nodding.  
            "Thank you Sabin, I can feel myself suddenly getting tired after having to listen to you for so long." He teased, walking away. Once he was at his own doorway, Edgar called behind his shoulder,  
            "Just because I was born a few minutes before you doesn't mean I'm an 'old fart', Mr. Thou!" He disappeared into his bedroom, gently closing the solid oak door. Sabin went back into his own room and closed himself in. He was content that he was able to alleviate Edgar's troubles, if only briefly. Sabin felt it was his duty to not only protect his country, but also to protect Edgar. 

            Edgar awoke to the clamour of heavy footsteps and not-so-hushed discussions up and down the corridor. Sitting up in his bed, Edgar tossed aside his silk bedsheets and planted his bare feet on the ground. After a small cursory glance around the room, Edgar wiped the leftover sleep from his eyes; his vision was still a little blurry as it was only moments since he had awakened. He could feel gravity's (and a late night's) pull on his eyelids as he struggled to keep awake. The King twisted his torso slightly so that he could peek out the window. It was still very dark. The only light was the sparse moonlight shining on the parapets and towers of the castle and courtyard. Edgar guessed that he had only received three to four hours of rest. He began to wonder what could get so many people so excited this late at night. Walking to the door, Edgar picked up his night coat and slipped it over his body. He opened the door and almost received a fist in the face. He jumped backwards before he saw that it was Sabin who had nearly knocked him flat. Sabin was fully dressed in his traditional tank top and loose pants; his personal preference.   
            "Sorry about that brother. I was just about to knock on the door when you opened it." Sabin smiled apologetically. Edgar waved him off.   
            "Any idea what's going on? Hell, what time is it?!" Edgar peered out the doorway to see servants and counselors alike hustling and bustling everywhere.   
            "Well, for starters, its only been three hours since we both fell asleep, and Figaro Castle isn't near South Figaro anymore..." Sabin shifted uneasily. Edgar snorted,  
            "What's wrong with that...other than the fact that I can't recall either of us giving the order to relocate to Kohlingen..." Edgar pursed his lips in thought.   
            "We aren't near Kohlingen either...nor are we in the stratum near the Ancient Castle. I don't know where we are." Edgar's eyes widened when he heard these syllables uttered. He was now fully awake and alert. The gears in his genius mind were ticking.   
            "We need a better idea of what's happened, and the quickest way to do that is to take the Falcon and and get our bearings, that is if we can find Setzer. If we aren't near South Figaro or Kohlingen, then we could have serious problems. Sabin, go and send a messenger to look for Setzer and the Falcon; we need to get a hold of this situation...and I need to get some clothing on..." Sabin nodded curtly and then left. Edgar shut the door behind him.   
            "Shit..." 

            Elsewhere, soaring through the skies, was the Falcon. It cut through the clouds with little difficulty. The greatest birds on the planet paled in comparison to the glorious airship. The sleek design allowed for perfect and precise handling of the massive Falcon. Every once in a while, the moon cut through the cloud cover and shone brilliantly upon two figures on the airships deck. Setzer Gabbiani stood proudly at the helm, guiding it in and out of the clouds, around and in between mountain tops, and careening towards a massive cityscape. He cursed softly and swung the Falcon sharply to the right to avoid a looming skyscraper.  
            "What is this place?" he marveled after slowing the Falcon to a stop just offset to an unbelievably technologically advanced city. Skyscrapers, highways, and other wonders spread further than he had ever seen any cities go. This place was something else. It was also where Kefka's tower had previously stood, "I've passed over this exact location many times in the past month, and I don't remember seeing a city like this. What could possibly have created such a place over night?" Satisfied after looking at the city, Setzer looked up and smiled when his daughter approached him.  
            "Father, where are we? What's happened to the ruins?" Her platinum-blue hair shone in the night, as did her father's. Setzer's smile vanished and was promptly replaced by a frown,  
            "I don't know, Faye, but I intend to find out. As much as I thrive on the unknown and chance, this just doesn't seem right. We're close to Tzen; why don't we go pay a visit to Locke and Celes. Perhaps they can help us..." Setzer trailed off, leaving a lingering thought unspoken. Unfortunately, Faye picked it up.  
            "If they're still alive, you mean..." She walked to the bow of the airship and gazed worriedly at the horizon. From here, it was impossible to tell if Tzen was still there or if it had suffered the same fate as Kefka's ruins. She prayed her father's comrades were all right. Setzer brought the airship around and pointed it where he hoped Tzen should still be. Logically, for all he knew, Tzen might still be there but then again, it might not be. He shook his thoughts to clear them. He had to be attentive and alert when he drove the airship. He would not allow his daughter or himself to suffer the fate that had befallen Faye's mother, Daryl. Setzer sighed; he still missed his lost love. Faye served as a constant reminder of Daryl, and that managed to keep Setzer's spirits up. Part of Daryl was always with him, whether in a tangible or non-tangible form. He had only found out about Faye's existence the day he broke the news of Daryl's crash to her family. It was then that the famous gambler had found out that he had fathered a child with Daryl; her family had been taking care of her all this time. Then and there he vowed to be a constant in his daughter's life and had raised her since. He never had what he could call a home other than his airship, so he had left Faye with Daryl's parents and he stayed there often to care for the child. When the Empire became a very strong military force, Setzer left for a time to see if there was anything he could do to ensure her safety. That's when he had 'allied' with the empire. When Kefka had decimated the planet, and the airship had been lost, Setzer wasn't able to get to his daughter until he acquired the Falcon and aided his comrades in defeating Kefka. Soft words broke through his reverie,  
            "Father, we've arrived...Tzen is still there..." She was smiling in relief, as was Setzer. He gracefully brought the airship to the ground just outside of town. After securing the airship so that no one would 'accidentally' fly off with it, Setzer and Faye made their way into town. They were greeted kindly by all of Tzen's citizens (those that were awake, that is), for they both were fairly well known around the world. The 'Traveling Gamblers' is what they were affectionately called. Father and daughter passed merchants' shops and country homes until they reached a small little house in its own little niche in town. The town was fairly quiet with the exception here and there. Setzer rapped a fist against the door of the house. He kept up this motion until he could hear footsteps from within. He felt bad about waking up his old friends at such a late hour in the night, but Setzer felt a deep foreboding building up from within. The door opened, and he was relieved to greet a bleary eyed and dressed-down Locke.  
           "Locke, I'm sorry for waking you up so late at night." Setzer took a calming breath, "Something's awry this eve. Would you believe it if I told you that some huge city is now located where Kefka's ruins once stood?" Locke motioned them to come in and closed the door behind them.  
           "Mm. Good to see you too, old friend." He chuckled softly, his expression then hardened, "Are you sure about what you saw, Setzer? Entire cities don't pop up overnight..." Locke was obviously still waking up and just a little skeptical.  
           "He's quite sure, Locke." Faye commented, "I saw it too. A huge city, way more advanced than anything I've ever seen. It was awe-inspiring..." She was silenced by a stern look from her father. Obviously this was a discussion for the experienced adults. Faye sighed and let the men talk amongst themselves.  
           "Listen, I'm going to go wake up Celes for a moment to let her know I'll be out for a bit. I'd like to go see all this for myself, not that I don't believe you, but I'd like to add my own opinion rather than speculate. Stay put." Setzer nodded as his friend left the entryway. He glanced apologetically at Faye. She smiled reassuringly, letting Setzer know that she understood. This was no trivial matter. When Locke returned, he was fully dressed and had some news,  
           "Celes will be staying here...she's six months pregnant right now --"  
           "Congratulations, Locke..erm..sorry for interrupting.."  
           "Thank you...now, lets head out, ok? I don't think it would hurt to pay a visit to our friends at Figaro Castle in the morning. Maybe they can lend us some insight as to what's happening. In the meantime, show me that city...I've got a bad feeling about this all of a sudden..." With those final words, the three adventurers departed the small town of Tzen and made their way back to the 'newborn' city. 

           The next morning at Figaro Castle, Edgar stood on the highest tower surveying the surrounding landscape. Directly in front of his castle lay a huge expanse of water that went as far as he could see.   
           "Where are we?" he whispered to the salty breeze. Of course, there was no answer. To his right, he saw a port town bustling with activity. Edgar knew right away that their presence here would attract some unwanted attention, but he'd be damned if he could figure out some way to 'hide' such an immense castle. With no desert to dig into, Figaro Castle was essentially marooned and in the open. He wasn't particularly happy to see that there was yet another building to his left. This one looked odd, like nothing he had ever seen before. Rotating at its peak was an elegant disc that lit up when it spun. Amazingly enough, the disc wasn't attached to the building yet it seemed like an integral component. The actual structure seemed to have been taken from a potter's wheel, sculpted by a master. Edgar walked to the adjacent side of the parapet and tried to get a better look. It had vibrant shades of blue painted exquisitely on its surface, accompanied by the occasional yellow and red. The base was more squarish, and had an entranceway in the front. Men and women entered and exited the building regularly, even this early in the morning. Edgar sighed. He had managed to get a few extra hours of sleep but it felt as though he had not slept at all. He was worried for his people in South Figaro. Edgar turned from the beautiful sight and headed for the stairs.   
           '_I wonder if Sabin's messenger has found Setzer yet.'_ He thought, his steps echoing as he walked down the passageway to the main body of his castle, '_Hopefully, we can get together and figure out a way to put things back as they were. Towns don't just disappear or appear overnight._' Edgar kept walking, passing the occasional bedroom, the counsel room, throne room, and eventually found himself at the armory. Walking in, Edgar smiled when he saw his vast array of weaponry. His Air Anchor, Autocrossbow, Bio Blaster, Debilitator, Noise Blaster, Flash, Drill, and Chainsaw were all still as he had left them. He ran a hand lightly along the chainsaw's blade. Memories flooded in of him using this particular weapon in many a battle. Now, it sat uselessly in an armory. Edgar feared he may have to put it to use once again, and that was a fear in which he did not dwell on for long. Then his gaze passed over his Atma Weapon. A legendary sword which drew upon the user's strength and did damage based on that strength. A strong person would inflict heavy damage whereas a weaker person would inflict little to no damage. Also, the energy blade's size was dependent upon its user. The larger the blade, the stronger the user. Picking up the scabbard that held the sword, he placed it around his waist and secured it. He turned to leave the armory, but as an afterthought, he picked up a set of Sabin's Claws. The Tiger Fangs will suite Sabin well, Edgar thought. He left the armory and went to find his brother. 

            Sabin was outside the castle, surveying the entrance area. Cyan was walking with him, offering his opinions on the situation. Just an hour earlier, he had sent Gau to do some scouting around the area. The twenty-four year old scout was the best they had and could get in and out of places without being detected. Cyan thought it best that they know their new surroundings in the likely event that they would be marooned here longer than a day or two. Sabin agreed.   
           "Hm. I don't particularly like the looks of this, my friend. Cities disappearing overnight, Castles relocating. Its almost enough to make me think that magic has returned. Ha!" Cyan stomped a foot on the ground as emphasis for his disdain.   
           "I wouldn't rule that possibility out, Cyan. We've seen stranger things..." Sabin sighed heavily.  
           "Unfortunately," Cyan's hawkish eyes scanned the horizon for signs of either Gau, Sabin's messenger, or the Falcon. So far, nothing. The High Knight of Figaro knew better than to expect results so soon. Gau would produce results; he just needed more than one hour to get them. The wind suddenly began to pick up and increased dramatically in intensity, whipping Cyan's ponytail about his head.  
            "What's this..? A hurricane?" Cyan looked around, exasperated. '_Nothing else better go wrong or there will be hell to pay. Machines. It has to be machines._' Cyan's features creased in a frown when he saw the Falcon in the air above them, "I thought so. Infernal contraption." Sabin laughed at his companion's reaction to the sudden appearance of the massive airship.  
           '_Typical!_' Sabin thought, smiling. From his vantage point, Sabin could see Setzer piloting the Falcon in its final descent. He thought he could make out Locke beside Setzer, "They made it..." Sabin sighed in relief. Perhaps Figaro Castle was the only place affected by the odd events.  
           "Here's hoping we were worrying about nothing..." Sabin commented to Cyan as they strode to greet their old friends.  
           "Yes, indeed." Cyan muttered. Sabin suspected that Cyan was doubtful as to the validity of his statement. He would be lying if he said he didn't agree. Locke was the first to come out of the airship, and was soon followed by Setzer. Faye was not far behind; she looked as though she had just waken up.  
           "Sabin! Cyan! Its good to see that you guys are safe and sound..!" Setzer shook hands with them, relief evident in his features.  
           "Our messenger reached you then?" Sabin inquired, glancing at the airship for a sign of the chocobo-rider.  
           "You sent a messanger..strange, Setzer didn't mention anything to me about that.." Locke mused, his hand idly brushing against his chin.  
           "That's because a messenger never reached us; we came here on our own to give you some distressing news. Kefka's tower has been replaced with a vast and technologically advanced city. As odd as that sounds, cities don't magically pop up overnight. And.." Setzer jerked a thumb towards the port city, "...I can see you have some concerns of your own. I assume that's why you sent a messenger to come look for us, right?"  
           "Yeah, that's why we sent him. I bet he's looking everywhere for you right now. Haha, poor guy." Sabin shook his head. While the men talked, Faye stood there patiently listening to what they were saying. She knew better than to interrupt; they were old veterans in dealing with strange things..or at least that's what her father led her to believe. She knew parents tended to embellish a little when telling their offspring stories of their adventures, but Faye believed Setzer. She was content in knowing her close friends were all right. Out of all the members of her father's old group, Sabin and Edgar were her two closest friends. Despite their large age difference, Faye found enough common ground on which to base a very strong friendship with the twin brothers. Both shared a sense of honor and respect that intrigued Faye.   
           "Are you coming in , Faye?" Sabin was the only one left outside, "Everyone's already inside. You seemed deep in thought and I didn't want to interrupt you. Care to join me?" He held out a hand and guided her inside.  
           "I'm glad you're all right, Sabin..." She said quietly, smiling.  
           "You too, Faye." As an afterthought, Sabin added, "You're welcome to stay as long as you like..."  
           "Depending on what father decides, I might just take you up on your offer. You know how he doesn't like to take me along on anything particularly dangerous." She laughed softly, "Besides, I enjoy staying at Figaro Castle. Its my home away from home, you could say." Sabin guided her through the Castle doors and shut them before they continued towards the conference room. Unknown to either of them, they had had an audience since the Falcon arrived. An audience that was very interested in the reason why Figaro castle had landed where it did. Satisfied that the visitors were non-hostile, they retreated to make preparations for an official meeting. 

            Half an hour later Edgar, Sabin, Cyan, Setzer, Locke, and Faye were seated in the counsel room. All of them had serious expressions lined on their faces. Seated at the head of the rectangular table were Sabin and Edgar, being the Kings of Figaro. To Sabin's left sat Faye and Setzer, and to Edgar's right sat Cyan and Locke. Edgar was the first to speak,  
            "I'm relieved to see that you all are safe and sound. While there is no evidence suggesting that any of you were in danger, the fact alone that Figaro Castle was seemingly relocated without any difficulty was enough to worry Sabin and myself." Edgar paused, making eye contact with all present before continuing, "I'm hoping we can all work together to restore things to the way they were, but we must first assess the gravity of the situation. I propose that we take a small search party with the Falcon and make a quick tour of the known villages and towns and see what's there and what isn't. Of course, Setzer will pilot the airship as it is his. The question remains as to who will accompany him."  
            "I'll stay here and take charge of Figaro defenses." Cyan replied, stern as ever, "Besides, I hate flying in that damned contraption. Machines, pffh."  
            "I'll go with Setzer...who knows when my 'treasure hunting' abilities will come in handy..." Locke offered, a smirk on his face.  
            "You mean stealing..?" Edgar asked, a smile crinkling his eyes.  
            "No, 'Treasure Hunting'" Locke said seriously, clasping his hands together with his elbows on the table. Despite his outer demeanor, everyone present knew that inside Locke was smiling almost as widely as Edgar was right about now.  
            "I'll go with them too...they'll need some strong physical backup and besides, I need to get out and do something..." Sabin looked at his brother and then continued, "Faye, what do you plan on doing...I assume you'll be accompanying myself, Locke and your father on the Falcon..."  
            "Actually," Setzer interjected, "I'd rather that she stay here. Not to be an overbearing parent, but we don't know what's out there right now, and if something ever happened to her, well...I may be a risk-taker, but that's one risk I'm not prepared to make." Faye slouched back in her seat, exasperated. She had been expecting her father to say it, but that didn't mean she wasn't hopeful to go on an adventure. Sabin looked apologetically at her. She shrugged back as if saying '_Don't worry about it...'  
            _"That works out perfectly then. I'll also remain to watch over the castle and to see to it that things don't go more awry than they already have. What time do you plan on leaving, Setzer?" Edgar leaned back in his chair, feeling more relaxed than he had been all day.  
            "We'll be leaving in a couple hour's time. I think that will give the three of us enough time to get prepared, have dinner, and depart. I'd rather not waste too much time if it's at all possible..." Running a hand through his hair, Setzer continued, "As for where we'll check, I suggest Narshe, Nikeah, Zozo, Jidoor, Maranda, Albrook, Thamasa, and Mobliz. We already know that South Figaro is missing, but there is still a chance of Kohlingen being around. We'll check there as well. How does that sound?"  
            "Sounds great to me." Sabin replied, smacking a fist into his open palm.  
            "Oh yes, that reminds me. Here, Sabin." Edgar tossed something to his brother.  
            "My Tiger's Fangs. Thanks." Sliding the glove over his hand, Sabin was satisfied to find that they still fit perfectly.  
            "Well then, if nobody has anything to add, I suggest the Falcon's crew go prepare for their journey, and everyone remaining here should decide their specific duties and carry them out. Be careful you guys, I expect you to come back alive. Good luck." With that, Edgar rose from the table. Everyone followed suit. Faye exited the counsel room and made her way to her bedroom, her father accompanying her. Since she visited so often, and stayed there for nights on end, Edgar and Sabin had opted to give Faye her own personal room to stay in whenever she visited. She had readily agreed. Father and offspring remained calm and quiet as they walked, not speaking until they reached the bedroom door. Setzer broke the silence,  
            "I'm sorry for not bringing you with us, Faye. I hope you aren't angry with me..."  
            "No father, I'm not angry. I was..expecting it, actually. I understand your reasoning behind it, and I'm content with staying here and helping Edgar out. This might even give him a chance to continue teaching me some swords tactics." She bent over and gave Setzer a hug and light daughterly peck on the cheek, "You be careful and come back to me, all right?"  
            "I promise you, Faye. I won't leave you, ever." He hugged her back, tightly, "I better get everything ready to go..supplies and all. I'll come see you before I leave, or at least try to. See you soon, sweetie." With one last glance over his shoulder, Setzer disappeared down the hallway and made his way towards Figaro Castle's exit.  
            "Bye father..." Faye whispered to his departing back before heading into her room and closing the door behind her. 

            An hour later, after Setzer dropped Faye off at her room, he made his way to the storage cellar. Food and medical supplies were a must for their trip, as well as healing items and sleeping utilities. He wanted to make sure he was adequately prepared for any event. After he selected the supplies he needed, a servant was asked to deliver it all to the Falcon as soon as possible. Satisfied that everything was in order, Setzer made his way to the dining hall. He was beginning to get hungry. When he arrived, he saw that Sabin and Locke were also there and had plates in front of them.   
            "You guys aren't done yet, are you?" Setzer knew that his friends were efficient, but that didn't stop him from being amazed.   
            "Yeah...it never takes me long to prepare; I travel light." Sabin shoved a large plate of food Setzer's way. The platinum-haired gambler sat down in front of his meal and ate.   
            "Thanks, I've noticed. The Falcon is being restocked with supplies as we speak. If you guys would like, we can leave after lunch."   
            "Sounds all right. I've already finished eating." Locke jerked a thumb towards Sabin, "Unlike Sabin here who eats like a horse..." Sabin grunted in mock indignation,   
            "I'm a growing man who needs his vitamins." Sabin cracked a smile as did his companions.   
            "I wonder what all this means-- I mean, everything that happened last night out of the blue. Could magic have come back after all this time? Any other explanation...escapes me..." Locke mused, thinking out loud.   
            "I don't know," Setzer continued for him, "But I'd wager that we'll find out soon enough. I'm not particularly sure we'll like what we find..." After that rather ominous thought, the three men finished their meal and headed towards the Falcon with a growing sense of urgency. 

End of Chapter 1

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	2. Part 1 - Chapter 2

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART I**

Chapter 2

            Not twenty minutes later, Faye woke with a start. Sweat had beaded on her forehead and her breath came in short, ragged gasps. She had just emerged from the most horrifying dream she could ever remember. In it, Figaro Castle had been ravaged by some huge cataclysmic beast. Everyone she had ever known or loved had died and she had been powerless to help then. Faye had been within inches of the huge leviathan's maw when she had awoken.   
            "Thank god...it wasn't real..." she panted, walking shakily over to the window. After her father had dropped her off, Faye had succumbed to the need for sleep. She had only snagged a few moments of rest the night before. Faye shivered at the thought of 'monster' from her dreams. It had a long body, very lean and muscular, that was covered in scales. Its neck was almost as long as its massive tail. Huge, jagged teeth lined the inside of its maw; a maw that could easily swallow a human whole without any difficulty. She vaguely recalled the name of a rare creature that resembled the thing from her nightmare; dragon. The legendary beasts disappeared when Kefka died and have never been seen since. Faye had never actually seen one herself, so she could only guess as to what her dream had been about. With a shock she noticed that the Falcon was no longer anywhere in the vicinity. It wasn't on the ground where they had landed it, nor was it in the air.   
            "Shit..!!" She slammed her left fist down on the stone windowsill. Her arm lanced with pain, "They left already?! Damnit! I wanted to see them off! I know I didn't oversleep; its not even noon yet..!! What if something happens...I.." When Faye managed to calm herself down, she heard a soft tapping at the door followed by a voice,   
            "Faye! Faye are you ok?!" It was Edgar and he sounded worried. He must have heard her cursing. She wasn't completely used to her father and friends going off into possible danger; the last time they did that she was very young and couldn't remember it very well. Composing herself, Faye went over and opened the door. Edgar hurried in,   
            "Is everything all right?!" he looked at her, waiting for an answer. Faye blushed, answering his questions to assuage his worries,   
            "Thanks for your concern, but I'm perfectly all right," she cradled her sore hand in the other, "I just got a little carried away when I saw that the Falcon had left early..." Her shoulders slumped, ashamed of herself, '_Look at yourself, girl! You took a fit just because your father and some good friends of yours left early. Now you're making yourself sick with worry about them, and your mood is most likely starting to upset Edgar. Act your age, damnit!!'_, she scolded herself.   
            "Oh, Faye..." Edgar shook his head softly, "I wouldn't upset yourself about it; they had to leave early. I'm not sure about why they changed their venue so suddenly, but I can tell you that they most likely had a good reason for doing it like that. They'll be back; they've survived worse." Faye looked up at her friend, checking the sincerity of his words. His ice blue eyes betrayed no falsehoods and his face masked no lies. Edgar was the epitome of honesty and trust in that one moment.   
            "...you sure?" she finally asked.   
            "Very sure." Edgar placed a firm hand on her shoulder, giving it a squeeze, "Come on! Would a face like this lie to a sweet girl like you?" Edgar smiled charmingly, a smile that could woo any woman he set his eyes on, although its purpose now was to cheer his young friend up. Faye could barely contain her laughter,   
            "No, but that same face tries to hook up with every middle-aged woman that he meets." She poked him in the stomach. Edgar then bowed, pointing his open right palm to the door, and another towards Faye.   
            "I have not eaten yet; would milady care to join me in the dining hall?" She took his hand, exaggerating a curtsey, '_Good, I'm taking her mind off of Setzer and the others. Damn I am good; I still have it!_' Edgar coughed, "And I don't need that smile to charm women, they flock to me on their own." Down the hallway, their chorused laughter rang out. 

            They didn't wait long before eating. Faye found, to her pleasure, that Edgar had already ordered the meal prepared before he had gone up to see her. Inside the dining hall sat a long table accustomed to having twenty-four people eating. Instead, only two seats were occupied. Edgar and Faye were seated across from one another at the furthest end of the table near the royal seats. They each had a heaping mound of food on their plates as neither had eaten breakfast. They ate in silence, enjoying the food as well as each other's company. Faye and Edgar got along really well, and now and then Faye used to catchherself wondering what would happen if she had been older. Those thoughts had long ago been replaced with sisterly love. Edgar would often spend time with her , training her in the way of the sword or just being her 'big brother'. Edgar had many years practice behind him, and he took great pride in training Setzer's daughter; especially because she took to sword fighting like himself to women. She was amazing at it using her finely-honed blade. Her preferred weapon of choice was one Edgar given her; a longsword.   
            At this moment, Faye was deep in thought and seemed to be thinking very seriously about something. Edgar perked up, taking notice of this. He debated whether or not to interrupt her. He decided to risk the former.   
            "Something on your mind, dear?" He looked at her reaction and was pleased to find out that his question had indeed been welcome. She obviously needed to get something off her chest.   
            "Looks like you've read me like a book, Edgar. Yes, I have something on my mind." She pursed her lips together, searching for the right words to continue, "Have you ever...known 'love' for another?" The question took Edgar off guard.   
            "As in...love of a soul mate?" Faye nodded her head vigorously and Edgar continued, "Well...truthfully, I haven't..." Without explaining her first question, Faye asked another,   
            "Does that ever make you lonely?" Now, it was really apparent that something much more than a simple problem was bothering Faye, and it had obviously been bothering her for quite some time.   
            "Yes. It does. I find it very lonely being 38 and still a bachelor. I cope, though, knowing that somewhere, someday, I'll find that special woman." He made sure his eyes were locked with Faye's, "Why do you ask?"   
            "I'm sorry for being so tactless, but..well... I suppose that its bothering me that I'm 18 and haven't even found a guy who was attracted to me. My reputation of being one of the 'Traveling Gamblers' scares them away. They either think I'll have a boyfriend in every town, or they're too afraid and nervous to even say a word. I'm sure that the odd woman or two had the nerve to talk to you, Edgar." She sighed heavily, "I may be impatient, but I want someone to love..."   
            "You know, you sound a lot like Terra when I first met her. She was yearning something fierce for love _(although I couldn't woo her)_, but she eventually found the love that she needed to complete herself. Albeit, it was a different sort of love than that you are looking for, but it _was_ love." Faye thought about that for a moment or two. Edgar had a very good point since he spoke from experience. Her father had once found love, Locke and Celes continue to find love within each other, and Terra has the love for the children in Mobliz.   
            "Everyone eventually finds love...what about you and Sabin?" Edgar's mouth crinkled knowingly,   
            "As I said, everything happens in due time... patience is all that's required." Faye was about to reply when one of Figaro Castle's chancellors came into the room and addressed Edgar.  
           "Milord, some representatives from 'Balamb Garden' here to see you."  
            "Balamb...garden?" Edgar was confused.  
            "That spiral-building with the disc, sir." The nobleman replied.   
            "Excellent!" Edgar stood from his seat, his plate completely empty despite having done more talking than eating, "Come Faye! Now is a good time for a diplomacy lesson." Edgar hurried out of the dining hall and towards the Castle entryway with Faye right behind him. At the pace that they were going, it didn't take them more than a minute. Standing just inside the door were three attractive young men about Faye's age. The one at the forefront had dark brown hair that almost covered his left eye. A deep scar came across the bridge of his nose in a diagonal line. He had stern, yet handsome features which spoke of a wisdom beyond his years. One of his companions, a blonde-haired young man sported a similar scar which faced in the opposite direction. He also wore a smug look on his face. Both of these men wore a gunblade at their side. The third one, seemed to have a spirit as wild as his blonde hair. The intricate facial tattoo on the left side of his face caught Faye's eye. All three wore gold-trimmed black uniforms. Neither Edgar nor Faye could read their emotions very well. When Faye got a good look at them, she immediately got a funny feeling about the snide-looking gunblade wielder.  
            '_I could teach him a thing or two about blades..._' she thought, shallowly.  
            "Greetings!" Edgar shook hands with all three of them, "I am Edgar Figaro, King of this Castle. This woman here is my dear friend Faye Gabbiani." Edgar shook hands with all three of them, as did Faye, "I extend my heartfelt greeting towards you from me and my people."   
            "Thank you." The middle one said, "I am Squall Leonhart, this is Seifer Almasy," he indicated the man to his left, "And this is Zell Dincht." Squall nodded to his restless friend.  
            "Would it be safe for me to assume that you're here concerning our rather unceremonious appearance last night in your territory?"   
            "Yes, actually, that's the very reason why we came. Our Headmaster sent us to give you his greetings and to see if you could help us to resolve some issues." Squall knew what he was doing.  
            "Of course, please come in." Edgar motioned for everyone to follow him. He headed back towards the dining hall with everyone behind him. Edgar was in the lead with Squall beside him. Faye was behind Edgar and Squall with Zell behind her looking around in awe. Seifer remained in the back, silent. Because they were walking at a slow pace, it gave them some time to chat amongst themselves. Squall seemed curious about Edgar's sword, and the King didn't hesitate to speak of it and the adventures he'd had with it. Seifer remained brooding in the back. Zell seemed to be trying to say something but was having a hard time putting his words together. Seifer picked up on this like a shark to blood,   
            "Hey, chicken-wuss, she won't bite you if you say hi." Faye cast a backwards glance at Seifer and gave him an exasperated look. He was the facade of innocence. Maybe her first impression had been wrong, he just seemed to enjoy torturing his companions. Nothing she couldn't handle. Looking over at Zell, Faye saw that he was fuming.   
            '_Obviously him and Seifer have a history._' Faye thought, placing a hand on Zell's shoulder,  
            "Don't worry about him..." When Zell looked over at her in mild surprise, she smiled softly, "I deal with guys like that all the time..."  
            "Seifer? You deal with that constantly? Woah...and I thought one of him was enough..." Zell seemed more calm now, "You're Faye, right?" He shook hands with her, "Nice to meet ya!"  
            Shaking hands back, Faye looked curiously at Zell's tattoo, "Nice to meet you too, Zell. That tattoo on your face, its really neat. I think it suits you." Listening to them chatter made Seifer sick. His attempt to embarrass Zell had instead broken the ice for him.   
            '_Oh well,_' he thought, '_I'm supposed to stay in line...I've finally become a SeeD and I don't wanna screw things up. I can irritate him back at Garden._'  
            "Hey thanks!" Zell beamed. Apparently, he took compliments quite well. As they neared the dining hall, Edgar cracked a light smirk. While conversing with Squall, he had heard bits and pieces of the conversation behind him.  
            '_I wonder what Setzer'll say when he finds out I've been rubbing off on his daughter! She'll be a guy magnet in no time with a bit of training from an expert!_' he thought to himself. To everyone else, he said,  
            "This way, please. Seat yourselves down wherever you choose." Edgar took his seat at the head of his table. He asked that Faye seat herself beside him in Sabin's seat. She felt her face flush with pride as she sat. It wasn't everyday that people were honored with the privilege of sitting at the head of the table with one of the Kings. Squall and Zell sat to Edgar's right and Seifer to Faye's left.  
            "I'll explain our situation first, I suppose. Last last night, when everyone in the castle had been asleep, we, and Figaro Castle, were all relocated to where it is now. I cannot offer any reasonable explanation as to why or how we are here, but I can give you a theory I have." Squall indicated for Edgar to continue.  
            "I believe that our worlds were somehow merged with one another. My reasoning for this is as such: geographically speaking, we are in the same place as per usual. However, in the place of South Figaro there is what you call Balamb Garden. South East, on another continent, is a town called Tzen which was once located near some ancient ruins. Now, a large city occupies three quarters of that once poisoned land in its _exact_ geographical location." Squall thought about that a moment before answering,  
            "That pretty much coincides with our theories as well. A few of our towns and cities are missing, and some continents have been, for lack of a better word, terraformed. We think that this may eventually pose economical and ecological threats to both our worlds if they remain joined. I believe it would be in both our best interests if we worked together to solve this mystery and get things back to normal." Squall ran a hand through his hair is frustration. Some higher being, some large power was messing with things on a very large scale. If their planet had been affected this easily, he wondered what could possibly be safe.   
            "Yes, that will be a problem. I agree and accept your proposition. Two heads are better than one, eh? We've already sent some friends of ours in our airship, the Falcon, to do some reconnaissance. They should be back in a few days with some news."  
Edgar looked at Squall, Seifer, Zell, and finally at Faye. He was open for any comments or suggestions.  
            "Some fellow members of SeeD went out in the Ragnarok to scout things out not long after your airship left the grounds. I hope they can shed some new light on the situation. Right now, all we can do is guess at what's happened or what will happen." Squall was obviously very displeased with the circumstances. Who wouldn't be? Edgar was rolling recent events around in his head when Faye spoke up,   
            "Edgar, while we wait would it be all right if they looked around the Castle for the day? There isn't much we can do until father, Sabin, and Locke return, right?" Edgar slapped his hands together,  
            "That is a grand idea, Faye! I don't think it would hurt one bit if we opened the Castle to them. This will give me a chance to attend to some matters much sooner than I had thought possible. I'd give them a personal tour, but well...duty calls." Edgar stood up, waiting for a reaction to the offer,  
            "I'd love to take a look around this place..I think its hella cool!" Zell exclaimed, anxious to get up and around. Squall hesitated a moment,  
            '_This will give them something to do...and the headmaster did give us permission to act as we pleased._" He breathed inwardly, "_And it will help to keep my mind off of Rinoa...ever since we lost contact with Deling City..._'  
            "Hey Squall," Seifer interrupted his thoughts, "He asked us a question. I'm for it...it's not like we have anything better to do right now."  
            "Thank you, Edgar. I think we'll take you up on your offer. I would enjoy a glance through the corridors of your home. Don't let us keep you from your work any longer." Standing up, Squall bowed courteously to Edgar who returned the gesture.  
            "The kitchens are at your disposal as well. Please enjoy your visit, and now I must be excused." Edgar left the room. 

            Faye was left alone with the three SeeD's. After Edgar had departed, Zell immediately set out through the Castle in search of something interesting to do. Squall was wandering around the room, very anxious to leave despite his accepting to stay for a bit,  
            '_I'd much rather go and check on Rinoa, but the trains are out of commission for now and my only ride to Deling City is currently..out...I might as well stay a bit to be polite and then I'll leave.._' It almost seemed like Squall was pacing, for he never left the Dining Hall. Seifer suddenly stood up and pulled Faye out of Sabin's chair,  
            "You're showing me around, c'mon."   
            "Heeeeeeeey!!" Faye squeaked, straightening when she broke free from Seifer's grip. Despite his rather uncourteous means of asking her to go with him, Faye went anyway. As they walked away, Seifer thought to himself,  
            '_I probably shouldn't have been so rough..but damn, I couldn't stand to sit around anymore. Besides, she's cute and might even be good company for the time being._'  
They walked down corridor after corridor in silence, Faye too nervous to speak, and Seifer just content in looking around. Oddly enough, he felt at peace in this place. Seifer decided he'd be the first one to break the silence,  
            "You like living here?" He asked, dropping the egotistical and macho-esque mask he had worn only moments earlier. Now he was trying to be nice and almost coming off as charming. The scowl he had had earlier was now replaced with a genuine smile.  
            "I love living here. Next to my father's airship, Figaro is my home. What about you? Do you live at Balamb Garden?" Faye watched Seifer's handsome features as he spoke. It wasn't everyday that she was able to have a normal conversation with a man her age, especially one so handsome.  
            "Yeah...thats my home. Its a pretty nice place...I've lived there for most of my life." From there, they continued to converse about many different subjects ranging everywhere from their homes, friends, and just about anything two young adults could talk about. As time progressed, Faye's initial dislike for Seifer developed into quite the reverse. Likewise for Seifer. Not that he had disliked her to begin with, but he found her to be very amicable. After an afternoon's worth of walking and talking, Faye and Seifer found themselves sitting together atop the ledge on the southwestern most tower. They were laughing and having a great time. Faye's worries about her father had dissolved and she was able to relax enough to enjoy Seifer's company. Apparently, he enjoyed her's as well. No one from Garden had come to fetch Seifer, and his comrades had long since left.  
            "You know, I'm going to have to introduce you to my posse, Fujin and Raijin. They're my best buds and we've been together through thick and thin. I think you'd get along with them really well." Seifer's gaze crossed Balamb Garden's and even he who lived there was awed by its magnificent beauty. Accompanying that admiration was also a stabbing pang of guilt that happened whenever he looked at Garden. Faye turned her head and was going to accept Seifer's offer to meet his friends when she saw the pained expression on his face. Placing a hand firmly on his arm, she asked,  
            "Seifer...are you all right? Is something wrong?" He didn't answer right away, instead the look on his face deepened into much more than just pain. Seifer seemed to be reliving some horrific nightmare. His jaw quivered ever so slightly when he finally spoke,  
            "Last year I was tempted by a Sorceress into betraying my home and friends. I became the..." His voice wavered, "...The Sorceress' knight..or rather her lapdog. I did many horrible things while drunk on the so-called power I had tasted. I even used my posse to help accomplish mine (and the Sorceress') whims. _I used them!!! _Eventually I was freed from Ultimecia's grip when Squall and the others defeated her. They forgave me and even let me back into Garden." He looked to the side, away from Faye, "Are you sure you want to get to know someone like me?" Faye couldn't begin to understand what Seifer was going through, but she got the feeling he had told her this to keep his new friend from sharing his pain and shame. Giving his arm one last squeeze, Faye released him and gently turned his face towards hers.  
            "I know we just met today, Seifer, and I'd like to thank you for spending this time with me. Its not everyday that I get to talk with anyone my age. Despite what you tell me you've done in the past, that doesn't change my desire to be your friend and to get to know you better. On the outside, you try to come off as intimidating, but I know that deep down inside you're really a sweet and caring guy. I'd like to see you again if you don't mind. Please?" Slowly, Seifer's pain receded and was replaced by a more relaxed expression; relief.   
            "You drive a hard bargain, Faye." He chuckled, "Why not...but first, I had best return to Garden. Curfews and all that..not that I care about rules or anything." He tenderly brushed a delinquent lock of Faye's hair from off her face, "Stop by the Garden tomorrow, all right? In the meantime, care to escort me out?" Faye smiled and stood up. Seifer followed suit. Together they walked down the nearby stairwell. They passed Edgar on their way down, but didn't notice him as they were again intent on talking with each other. Edgar paused, turned, and watched them go.  
            "Guess I won't have to help her after all..." He whispered to himself, "But...what happens when we have to leave...?" 

END OF PART I

End of Chapter 2

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	3. Part 2 - Chapter 1

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART 2**

Chapter 1

            The next morning the sun rose, bathing its golden glow all over the island shared by Balamb, Figaro Castle, and Balamb Garden. The denizens of each respective location woke up to a bright new day, almost forgetting that things were not as they should be. Their worlds were still merged with people and towns still missing. A collective sigh rose up from each location, absorbed by the dispassionate wind. Waves lapped against the shore in chorus with the breeze, pushed against their will to a slow death drying on the sand. Figaro Castle stuck out like a sore thumb compared to its neighbors who seemed to blend in with the surroundings as if they had grown there rather than constructed. Inside, Edgar sat at his throne listening to chancellors give report after report on how things were not well with the Kingdom. Behind him, at attention, stood Cyan.   
            "Where could that wild boy have gone off to?" Cyan was raging. It was now approximately 24 hours since he had sent Gau to do some scouting and his protégé had not yet returned. He began pacing back and forth, practically wearing a path in the hard granite floor of the throne room. Edgar barely paid attention to the chancellors as Cyan raved on. He sympathized with his friend; Edgar was worried about Gau as well but, unfortunately, that was out of his hands.   
            "...Milord?" One of the men giving his report had noticed Edgar's lack of attention. He seemed very displeased.   
            "Hm? Oh yes...*cough* pardon me. That sounds good; maintain current security status. I don't think its necessary just yet to double anything. If something comes up, please notify Sir Cyan immediately. He will take care of any emergencies. Thank you." Edgar looked around the room and saw that everyone had finished with their reports. Where had the time gone? He made a mental note to pay more attention next time. "If anyone has any further matters to discuss, please bring them forth. Otherwise, this meeting is adjourned." Without anything more to say, all chancellors and noblemen left the throne room to attend to their duties. This left Cyan and Edgar alone to discuss things.   
            "Cyan, I'm sure Gau is just fine. He spent half his life among the wild animals of the Veldt. Just be patient, if he's not back by the time Setzer returns, we'll send a search party to look for him, all right?" Edgar prayed that he was right and that he wasn't just instilling false hope into his friend, '_I have every confidence in Gau, it's this different world I'm not sure of._'   
            "I hope you're right, Edgar." Cyan said nothing more as he walked off to double check on security. Edgar sighed deeply. Stress was wearing heavily on the warrior King.   
            '_I wonder who is behind this...?_' He mused, '_Are they from my world or the one Squall comes from? And why haven't they made any further moves? Simply merging two worlds couldn't have been their sole goal...there has to be something more...but what is it damnit!_' While Edgar thought, he saw Faye walk from one corner of the throne room to another. "Where is she going, I wonder..." Edgar asked himself even though he had already guessed the answer. He wanted to make sure for himself, however, in the event something happened. With a sly grin on his face, he got up and rushed after Faye, calling,   
            "Hold on, Faye!" Setzer's daughter stopped when she heard her name called out.   
            "Edgar! Good morning! I hope the meetings went well..." Faye looked around the throne room to ascertain whether or not she had interrupted anything, '_I wasn't paying too much attention to things._'   
            "They went decently enough," Edgar neglected to allude to his lack of attention during the meeting, "Where are you off to so early? I don't mean to pry, but I'd like to know so I can find you easily if something happens."   
            "Oh, me? I'm heading over to Balamb Garden; Seifer invited me." Faye blushed crimson red and hoped Edgar didn't notice it. He did, but didn't comment.   
            "Mm. Thanks for letting me know. Have fun and be careful, all right?" Edgar pointed to Faye's longsword, "Don't hesitate to use that if you have to."   
            "Don't worry about me, I can take care of myself." Faye drew the sword out of its scabbard and examined it thoroughly before resheathing it, "Thanks for the concern though. Bye Edgar!!" With that, Faye disappeared down the corridors and out the Castle. Edgar stood there a moment longer before remembering that he had other state matters to attend to. He turned on his heels and headed towards the courtyard. 

            Faye traveled on a well-worn path on her way to Garden, walking casually as she went. She was absorbed in her thoughts as she found herself doing quite often.   
            '_Seifer...I don't think I've ever met anyone like you before. I don't think I will ever again, either. We talked, and talked, and talked until the sun set and even still we continued. I doubt we've even run dry with things to converse about. He's charming, too. Very handsome, tall, strong..._' Faye was so intent on her thoughts, and daydreaming about Seifer, that the creature that had been following her for some time now managed to get in a sneak attack on the unsuspecting traveler. It zoomed forward and slammed itself into her back. Faye was sent sprawling to the ground. She had just enough time to get up and draw her weapon when the thing readied itself to attack again. Looking up, Faye saw that it was an insect as large as her head that had struck her to the ground. Wiping some blood off her chin, Faye got into an attacking stance. She shifted her weight, spreading it evenly between her legs. She held out her longsword in front of her, two-handed and ready to strike.   
            "Bring it on, punk." Faye whispered. If that thing had the strength to knock her to the ground that easily, Faye surmised that it could do much more than just that. It came at her straight on accompanied by an annoying and nearly overpowering buzz. Faye waited for the right moment to strike. Too soon or too late would end up with a bug crashing into her face. Faye swung sharply upwards just as it came within three feet of her face. She cleaved it in twain, the insect falling to the ground in two symmetrical pieces. Faye shuddered,   
            "Bugs. I hate bugs." Taking a cloth from her pocket, Faye cleaned the blade off, "I better hurry to Garden before anything else comes to say 'hi'." Resheathing her weapon and pocketing the cloth, Faye resumed walking. She chided herself for her lack of attention,  
'_Don't forget that this is no different than back home. There are still dangerous beasts everywhere._' It didn't take her much longer to arrive at Garden's gate. Faye saw the gatekeeper in his small booth and walked over to the aged man.   
            "Hello there, missy. May I help you with something?" Inside his stall, the man smiled a toothy grin.   
            "Yes, please. Um...could you tell me where Seifer Almasy is? I was invited to see him today." Faye couldn't help but stare into the furthest depths of Balamb Garden. Inside was a breathtaking showcase of craftsmanship and skill. Rounded corridors stretched as far as she could see. The sweet smell of fresh water wafted from _inside_ the structure. She snapped to attention when the gatekeeper replied.   
            "Seifer Almasy, eh? Never too many visitors for that one." The old man shook his head in pity, "Poor fella...anyway, you said you wanted to see him? Just wait there, I've already paged him for you."   
            "Thank you, sir." Faye inclined her head as a sign of gratitude. Looking for a place to sit, and finding nothing satisfactory, Faye perched herself upon the waist-high gate and waited patiently, facing the ocean. Contrary to the day before, Garden was eerily quiet. As clearly as if she were basking in the sun on the beach, Faye could hear the ocean lapping across the sand. She closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly upwards, nourished by the calming peace at hand. She didn't even notice Seifer's approach.   
            "Did I come at a bad time or is there room for two up there?" Faye's eyes shot open as she turned around to see Seifer with a smile from ear to ear. Faye shifted her position on her seat to give Seifer some room to sit down. She faced inwards this time, her feet dangling inside Garden. Seifer gladly sat down with her. Neither complained that there wasn't really enough room for two to sit comfortably or that they were forced to sit very close to each other. Subtly, Faye looked Seifer's new attire over. Instead of the more formal gold-trimmed black uniform he had worn the day before, he sported a gray trench coat with an elegant red cross on each arm.   
            "I really had a good time yesterday, under the stars. It was something else." She gazed up at Seifer, who sat to her right, happy to see that he was returning her look. She didn't break this unspoken form of communication, especially when she felt a pleasurable shiver course through her body. Welling up inside her were feelings she had not felt before and had yet to identify.   
            "Likewise, Faye." With reluctance, Seifer broke their direct line of sight and gave a fleeting look in front of him in search of his posse. Still no sign of them, "I haven't been able to find Fujin or Raijin all morning so I'm afraid that we'll have to spend our time alone." He made an elaborate show of false disappointment, "Not that I'm complaining. Your company is always welcome. Last night...suffice it to say that last night was amazing."   
            "Yes...that it was." Faye swung her feet idly as she spoke, "And about your posse, I don't mind...I kinda like how things are right now. I'm sure we'll run into them eventually." Seifer beamed, fondly studying her features.   
            '_I like how they are too...most definitely.' _

            "How does he do it?" Zell leaned against a guardrail, watching Faye and Seifer.   
            "Do what?" Squall seemed very disinterested in spying on Seifer but he stuck around only because Zell had asked him to. They were just in front of the elevator that allowed them access to the upper and lower levels of Garden.   
            "I don't get it. One moment he's the biggest bastard you could ever have the displeasure of meeting, and then all of a sudden, he's Prince Charming." Zell tried to make his spying subtle with little to no success. He chuckled, "Not that I'm jealous or anything; I just find it weird that he went through such a change in only a years time."   
            "After we defeated Ultimecia, Seifer was freed from her. Since then, he's been a changed man." Squall paused, "Seifer only bothers you because he knows he can get a rise out of you. He's just like that."   
            "Yeah yeah. I know, I know. Frankly, I'm glad for him. I may dislike him, but he still deserves a chance and it looks like that girl is giving him one." Zell turned around faced the elevator, his back against the railing, "They spent the entire afternoon and evening together yesterday. Even though I wouldn't mind it if he crawled into a hole and stayed there...I wish the guy all the best."   
            "That's the way to do it, Zell. Come on." Squall turned and made his way to the training center. Zell followed, eager to refine his skills some more.   
            '_You've changed too, Squall. Ever since you fell in love with Rinoa, you've mellowed out. You seem way happier now._' 

            Seifer and Faye were still sitting on their little perch nestled in Balamb Garden's entryway long after their observers had left. Both were too comfortable to move and neither minded the occasional passerby. Sometimes they were silent, unspoken communication passing between them. Other times, they chatted back and forth vigorously.   
            "So why is it that you travel the world with your father, anyway? How come you haven't settled down somewhere?" Seifer watched Faye as she answered, never taking an eye off her. She seemed to gather her thoughts carefully before she answered. '_I'm guessing that she's considered this more than a few times..._'   
            "I dunno. I sometimes think that it's in my nature to travel the world in an airship like my father does. Other times I think it's my fear of not being accepted. Sometimes, it's a combination of the two." Faye leaned backwards slightly, looking up at the ceiling when she continued, "Either way, I feel some kind of rush when I'm in the air, soaring through the skies."   
            "Mmm. I can understand where you're coming from. I get a certain rush when I'm on the Ragnarok, but that's nothing compared to the surging emotions that rage when I'm fighting in a battle. Now there's my element." Seifer made a fist in emphasis, clenching his hand tightly, "I'd like to duel with you sometime. From what you've told me, you sound like a pretty damn good fighter." Seifer stopped a moment, thinking. "That Edgar guy...he trained you on your weapon, right?"   
            "Yeah, Edgar did. Since I live there from time to time, Edgar always takes a bit out of the day to train me to wield my longsword properly and to fight well with it. I'm no where near his skill level, but my swordsmanship is coming along." She giggled, "I hope so anyway." Faye was about to continue when she felt a burning sensation on the underside of her chin. Bringing a hand up to see what it was, she immediately cried out when her fingers brushed against a freshly opened wound.   
            "What's that, Faye? Did you hurt yourself?" Without waiting for her to answer, Seifer placed a hand on her face and tilted it upwards so he could see what was wrong. Her chin was scarlet red and beginning to bleed, "How did you hurt yourself like this...?"   
            "Oh that." Faye gently pulled her face out of Seifer's hand, "I was surprised by this hugely disgusting blue insect the size of my head on my way here. I kinda...did a face plant when it attacked me from behind..." Her face turned as dark a hue as her chin was.   
            "Bite Bug...I hate those things. Annoying gnats. Anyway, let me take you to the infirmary to clean that up. It might be infected. Come on." Seifer hopped down off of the gate and waited for Faye to follow. She did, reluctantly of course.   
            "You really think that's necessary? I hate to be a bother and I'm sure that others need this more than me." Faye found herself cut off when Seifer placed a finger on her lips.   
            "Pssh. You deserve it more than half the idiots here. Please, let's get that cleaned out..." Seifer took her hand and led Faye to the infirmary. It was a short walk; the infirmary was at the end of the first hallway on the left hand side of the circular corridor. Faye marveled at how beautiful and wondrous Balamb Garden was. They arrived in the doctor's office where an aged woman sat at her desk.   
            "Dr. Kadowaki, this is Faye. She was attacked by a Bite Bug on her way here and I was wondering if you could check out the scratch under her chin." Seifer guided Faye to a seat. The doctor stood up from her desk and walked over to them.   
            "Seifer, staying out of trouble, I see. Last time you were in here, both you and Squall were in miserable condition." Without saying anything further, Dr. Kadowaki looked at Faye's sore. She turned Faye's head left and right, up and down, until she had done a thorough examination. The doctor turned and walked over to a cupboard where she got out a glass vile full of a transparent liquid. Pouring some on a cloth, she walked over to Faye and said,   
            "Listen, this will hurt when I put it on your chin, but it will disinfect the wound. After, I'll put on some healing salve and within a few hours, there'll be nothing left." Faye nodded and tilted her head enough so the doctor could easily put the strong smelling substance on her face. She winced when the cloth made contact with her skin; it burned. It kept burning even after the cloth was removed. She hated getting injuries treated by doctors. They scared her due to the fact that half the time when a doctor went to 'treat' you it involved some form of pain. She preferred to do it herself and leave everything else to chance.   
            '_Father's influence, I suppose.._.' Faye was always ill at ease around a doctor, but Seifer's presence served to alleviate her worries. Soon, a soothing coolness enveloped her chin when Dr. Kadowaki applied the salve.   
            "There, good as new. Take some of these in case you get hurt again. They're all labeled clearly, so there shouldn't be a problem of you using the wrong salve for the wrong type of injury. Take care." Dr. Kadowaki walked back to her desk and sat behind it.   
            "Thank you, Doctor." Faye smiled pleasantly and placed the vials in her pocket, but the good Doctor was already back to drowning in paperwork. Seifer again took Faye's hand and brought her out of the Infirmary.   
            "She didn't seem to like you very much." Faye commented as they walked.   
            "Yeah, I know. Some of the people here aren't all too forgiving when it comes to what I did...I don't blame them either..." Seifer hadn't released her hand yet, and Faye didn't complain. She felt at peace when Seifer was around, and even more so when he touched her. They walked past corridor upon corridor, passing students and SeeD's alike. Because no one was able to get in touch with Balamb Garden, no SeeD could be contracted out and thus they were forced to do odd jobs around Garden to keep themselves busy.   
            "Where are we headed now?" Faye was curious about everything in Garden, but kept most of her questions to herself. Seifer ended up explaining a lot on his own, and she liked to let him talk.   
            "The dormitory; I might as well show you my room. I've already seen yours, remember?" Seifer smiled, his good mood ever present.   
            "I remembe--" Faye was cut off when Garden shook to its core. Something large had passed overhead at an incredible speed, "What the hell was that?!" Suddenly, Squall's voice came over the intercom.   
            "Attention all SeeD. A Ruby Dragon just flew overhead of Garden and landed in front of Figaro Castle. Do not be alarmed. I will be taking a small party with me to deal with it. Keep all Junior Classmen in the classrooms until I return. Thank you." When she heard those words, Faye was seized by a flashback of her dream from the day before. Memories of the horrible creature decimating Figaro Castle returned. She staggered, releasing Seifer's hand and nearly falling onto the ground. She stumbled a few feet ahead of Seifer.   
            "Faye!!!" Seifer rushed over to Faye, helping her to straighten up, "What's wrong?!"   
            "Just..like...my dream. I dreamt this would happen...Figaro Castle won't stand a chance against the dragon. Without..its ability...to submerge into a desert, its defensive capabilities are...somewhat limited." She tried to break out of Seifer's grip, but he held her tight, "Let me go..I have to go help Edgar!"   
            "Listen, Faye. You heard Squall, he's going to help your friends right now. What difference can you make by yourself?" Seifer was trying his best to calm Faye down, but it was to no avail.   
            "Probably none...but I have to try. Its my home, Seifer. I know you'd do the same thing in my position if the situation were reversed..." Faye was recovering from her initial shock. Seifer let her go, reluctantly.   
            "I'm going with you then. Ruby dragons are the most dangerous dragon species on our planet and I won't let you go by yourself." Faye nodded, and with that silent signal they tore through Garden. Faye had a crystal clear map inside of her head detailing the way to the exit. Her legs pumped faster and faster, carrying her to the exit quicker than a bee to honey. Seifer was hot on her heels with a determined look on his face.   
            '_I won't let anything happen to her. I shouldn't even let her go, but it is her home...and I'll do whatever it takes to help her save Figaro Castle. I...care about her._" They reached the gate and vaulted over it with ease. Both stopped abruptly, however, when they arrived outside. The Ruby Dragon was indeed just in front of Figaro Castle and it looked ready to attack.   
            "If something or someone doesn't distract it soon, the Castle is toast..!" Faye exclaimed in dismay. As much as he hated to, Seifer had to agree.   
            "I don't think that Balamb Garden could stand a direct attack from a dragon like that, either. Those beasts are nasty." He drew his gunblade and motioned for Faye to do the same, "Be careful, Faye. Avoid its fire breath if you can; it'll kill on its first shot if it hits you with it. I'll watch your back, come on!" Seifer and Faye again took to running. Squall and Zell weren't too far behind, as they had just finished getting ready. The four of them headed towards Figaro Castle ready for battle.   
            '_Three sword wielders and a martial artist against one dragon...Edgar, Cyan, hurry up and get out of there before its too late!!_' Faye prayed to whatever deity would listen that her friends would be all right. 

            As they ran, Faye couldn't help but marvel at how fast Squall and Zell had caught up to them.   
            "Thanks for coming." Faye panted as she ran, her legs digging into the ground and launching her closer and closer to an inevitable battle, "You guys were quick to the gun." Zell, who was running alongside her now, smiled grimly, his mouth a thin taut line.   
            "No problem, Faye. We were in the training center and would have been here sooner but, well...we had to let everyone know what had happened. It wasn't hard to tell that a ruby had gone by; it filled the entire skylight when it passed." Zell flipped her a thumbs-up. Faye was glad to have some help; four against one were odds that she liked to gamble with. They galloped like a herd of cattle across the distance between Balamb Garden and Figaro Castle. Faye kept a close watch on the Castle for any signs of backup.   
            '_Where are all the guards? It must've taken care of them already otherwise it would have been swarmed by now..._.' Faye felt fear welling up inside her; fear for her friends and fear for herself. She continued despite that feeling and pressed forward. As if answering her prayer, the doors to Figaro Castle opened up and two ornately armored figures stepped out. One she could identify as Edgar, and the other she assumed as being Cyan. She had never seen either dressed up for battle. Each had a sword in their hands, although Edgar's was more noticeable as its blade extended five feet outwards and glowed an intense blue. In the other hand, both warriors carried a shield designed specifically for battle against fire-based creatures. '_They must have had enough time to get ready..._' The armored figures walked calmly down the stairs and faced off against the dragon. Then, the attack began. Faye motioned for the others to stop, and they did. She watched them fight for a moment before speaking,   
            "Guys, get at it from behind if you can. Edgar and Cyan are trying to distract it for us. Look." She pointed towards the battle, "Look at how they're fighting. Their defense is accurate, but they're fighting sloppily. I know that they wouldn't fight like that normally..they're--"   
            "...giving the dragon false confidence. If it thinks that they are no challenge, it'll toy with them for a bit before seriously attacking. It won't pay attention to anything else but them; it'll be waiting patiently for the right chance to strike." Squall finished for Faye, "If we sneak in behind it while the fighting is intense, we'll probably be able to get in an attack without it noticing. Our chances for survival are much better this way than if we all went against it head on." Everyone nodded their agreement, "All right then, lets go. Swiftly and silently." Squall drew his gunblade. The charge began anew. When they were within range to attack, only then did Faye realize how large the dragon truly was. Not only did its size dwarf the humans easily, there was enough room underneath the leviathan for a man to walk with plenty of room. This thing was a behemoth of a dragon; a great wyrm. Shaking that thought aside, Faye readied herself for the attack. Suddenly, without warning, the dragon whipped around swinging its tail in a high arc bringing it down and around into Edgar and Cyan, knocking them roughly into the the hard stone wall of Figaro Castle. When the dragon lowered its tail, the two warriors fell to the ground unconscious and badly wounded. Without time enough to stop, Faye and the others kept up with their attack. To falter now would give the dragon a large advantage. Unfortunately, it possessed one anyway. Standing up on its hind legs, the great wyrm brought its wings as far back as they could go before swiftly bringing them together to create a wing buffet. Apparently, the great wyrm had indeed noticed the oncoming party and had simply waited until they were close enough to inflict the most damage. The four young adults went flying backwards, hitting the ground with such force that they made a slight imprint when they landed. Because Zell and Seifer had been the closest to the dragon when it wing buffeted them, they flew the furthest and thus ended up unconscious. Faye and Squall had only been slightly more fortunate.   
            "Augh!!!" Faye grunted when she landed. She felt paralyzed; her arms and legs would not move and she felt as though the wind had been knocked out of her lungs. Turning her head, she saw that her comrades were similarly afflicted. Squall, who had landed next to her, whispered.   
            "Don't...worry. The stun will...wear off eventually." Faye was only mildly relieved to hear that. Slowly, she felt the strength return to her limbs and air passing through her lungs with much more ease. Slowly and shakily, she stood up. She surveyed the battle scene; Edgar and Cyan were both still quite unconscious and looked as though they might be in serious trouble. The Atma Weapon, which was still in Edgar's hand, had decreased in size dramatically, barely a foot long now. Zell and Seifer were still out cold as they both had landed harder than the others while Squall was still stunned. Faye's gaze finally came upon the red dragon and was unnerved to find out that it was staring at her. It opened its maw and spoke, articulating the words perfectly,   
            "I have been waiting for you, Faye Gabbiani." It spoke with a deep, rumbling voice that boomed across the island, "You will make an excellent sacrifice for the Fanatics." It began to walk towards her, slowly and surely, confident in it superiority and inevitable victory. Faye took a few steps back, but soon found herself frozen with fear. It felt as though the great wyrm was staring into her soul.   
            '_How..does it know my name..?_' The dragon continued its advance, slowly approaching Faye with a confidence that chilled her to the bone, '_How does..it know me..? I...is it the same dragon...from my dream?_' Faye thought she imagined it, but it looked to her as though the dragon nodded. She shook that thought from her head. She couldn't say anything, she couldn't move, she could only think. Faye felt helpless, which she was. When the red wyrm finally reached her, it gently picked her up in its massive paw and sat up on its hind legs.   
            "I am not without compassion," It said, "I will allow you one final look at these pathetic fools before you die." Faye felt her head clear at the dragon's second utterance of death and perishing; she screamed,   
            "Edgar!!!! Cyan! Help!!!" Faye struggled to get out of the death grip around her body but it was to no avail, "Please, someone!! Help me!!"   
            "Scream all you want, they will never hear you again! Scream, scream!!!!" Massive wings started flapping, beating down upon the ground and giving the dragon enough lift to get off the ground. Faye tried her hardest to squirm free from her captor, but she was unable to break the grip holding her tightly. Tears streamed down her face, fearful for her life. Arms outstretched, Faye reached out to anyone, anything that could help her. She was surprised to find Seifer holding those arms back, trying to pull her free.   
            "I'll....save you...I promise..!!" He grunted against the strain, and was forced to let go when Faye was lifted out of his reach.   
            "Seifer!!!" Faye cried out, her last hope growing smaller and smaller as the dragon flew higher and higher. Seifer, still on the ground, was not finished yet. He drew back his arm, bent his fingers and formed a mock-fist. A circular blue globe formed around his hand.   
            "Dragon!!! Come back here and fight me with honor!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" Seifer shot his hand forward, releasing the blue orb, "BLIZZAGA!!!" The orb flew higher and higher into the air and looked like it was going to hit their assailant. Seifer donned a devilish grin, '_That dragon is as good as dead...!_' That grin faded abruptly when the great wyrm red once again showed him one of the facets of its intelligence; it dove slightly, just enough for the blizzaga orb to fly right past it and dissipate into nothing. Then, it flew past Balamb Garden, and nothing could be seen after that; forests blocked Seifer's view of the dragon. Seifer could feel anger and rage build up inside him like a volcano about to erupt. Hatred, rage, fury, all of them boiled beneath his skin. Then, he let loose a scream that could have shaken Figaro Castle to its foundation. 

            Seifer didn't move; his body and muscles were so tense that he felt like he was locked in place. He stood still even when a reassuring hand clamped down on his shoulder, and when a voice spoke to him. Nothing but jumbled syllables entered his ear. Then, at the precise moment when the calm before a storm passes, he could no longer contain the rage that he had barely been able to control moments earlier. He whirled on his feet, turning to face Squall.   
            "What?!?" Seifer snarled, roughly grabbing Squall by the furred collar of his coat.   
            "Let go of me and I'll tell you again." Squall looked his ex-rival straight in the eyes until Seifer let him go, "Thank you. Now, as I was saying, I want you to stay here and help the King and company recuperate while Zell and I go check out the Fire Caves. The dragon's a fire elemental, so I think that's where --"   
            "Why the hell can't I go?"   
            "Because you're current condition would compromise any rescue attempt. You need to cool down."   
            "Bullshit, Squall."   
            "That, Seifer, is a direct order from myself. As leader of SeeD, I expect my orders to be followed. Help out here in any way you can. Dismissed." Squall turned to go revive Zell, but Seifer wasn't through with him.   
            "I'll go with or without your permission." He muttered under his breath while reaching out with his left hand and forcing Squall to face him. He drew back his right hand and delivered a hefty punch to Squall's jaw. Reeling from the blow, Squall gaped at Seifer.   
            "What the hell was that for?" Squall stepped forward, making sure that himself and Seifer were at eye level. He was ready for any more surprises.   
            "Don't you dare tell me that I'm not allowed to go rescue her. I don't need your permission and I don't need you getting in my way." Seifer started to walk past Squall but found that the young leader was blocking his path, "Out of my way, Squall. I made a promise that I intend on keeping."   
            "Don't make me confine you to quarters. I gave you an order." He looked straight at Seifer, locking eyes. His shone with determination. Seifer, not caring to listen, tried to shove past Squall.   
            "You know damn well that if Rinoa had been captured instead of Faye you'd be the first one out there rescuing her. I'm doing just that."   
            "Leave Rinoa out of this." Seifer had obviously struck a nerve, as Squall was beginning to get quite angry, "Why is she so important to you, anyway? You only met yesterday. Are you going to use her like you did Fujin and Raijin?! I won't have it."   
            "Whatever happened to ignoring confrontations with me, eh Squall?" Seifer didn't appreciate Squall's comment about his posse, "We may have met only yesterday, but I've felt since then something I've never felt before and I don't want to lose that feeling."   
            "So what happens when the worlds separate? What happens when she has to go back to her own world? Do you expect her to drop everything, her family, her loved ones, just for you? What do you do then?" This argument had gone much further than the possibility of Seifer compromising a mission; it was personal.   
            "You think I'm stupid? I've thought about that time and again. I'll find a way to fix that when the times comes, right now all I'm concerned with is getting her back safe and sound." Stepping back a bit, Seifer drew his gunblade, "Now, out of my way before I finish the job I started on your face last year!!" Squall followed suit. He readied himself for an attack that never came. Instead of fighting, Seifer dropped his sword to his side and was making his way to where Edgar and Cyan had fallen. The King was coughing up blood and didn't look like he was in very good condition. Seifer held out his hands and began chanting something in a hushed voice, "Curaga..." Edgar was surrounded by a blue aura and quickly stopped coughing. His eyes fluttered open. Seifer helped him to his feet leaving Squall openmouthed, "What? You think I'm so cold-hearted that I'd leave him to die?! Faye'd never forgive me." It didn't take Edgar long to orient himself and stand on his own. He looked gratefully at Seifer,   
            "Thank you..." Edgar looked around in dismay, absorbing what had happened, "Where's Faye...did it get her too?"   
            "Sort of. We think the prick took her to the Fire Caves. That's the general direction it headed in. Those dragons tend to favor that specific cave." Seifer glared at Squall with hatred, "I was just about to rescue her when Squall deemed it necessary to order me here."   
            "Thank God she's still alive...there's still a chance then." Edgar closed his eyes for a moment to clear his thoughts. When he opened them again, they were set with a deadpan expression, "I wasn't able to stop it from making a buffet meal out of my troops, but I'll do whatever it takes to get Faye back." He bent down and picked up his Atma Weapon from where it had rolled out of his hands. It flared back to its full five foot length.   
            "I'm going too, I promised Faye that I'd save her." The attitude Seifer had against Squall moments earlier had dissipated. He was almost pleading with Edgar.   
            "Lets go." Edgar wasn't interested in whether or not Squall had given Seifer permission to go. He wanted to rescue Faye before she became nothing more than a meal like his officers. Besides, Edgar knew all too well the value of a promise. He performed a quick series of whistles before turning to Squall, "Please, help Cyan." Before Squall could answer, two chocobos ran from one side of the castle and stopped just in front of Edgar and Seifer. They waited only long enough for the two men to jump on before leaving.   
            '_No more innocent bloodshed!_' Edgar thought as they galloped away. 

End of Chapter 1

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	4. Part 2 - Chapter 2

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART 2**

Chapter 2

            They tore through the terrain like banshees; a blur to the naked eye. To Seifer, the short ride to the Fire Caves felt like an eternity. His lips curled up as a throaty snarl escaped his lips. The altercation between Squall and himself had only served to fuel his determination. He didn't even care whether or not he ended up suspended for his insubordination, and he didn't care about the fact that when the worlds separated Faye would be forced to go with hers.   
            '_...all I care about is her.._.' He guided his mount through the quickest route, leading the way for Edgar to follow. After passing Balamb Garden they entered the forest where Seifer had last seen the dragon fly by. They were going at a breakneck speed and more than once came close to running headlong into a tree. Weaving in and out, they managed to avoid any encounters and eventually arrived at the edge of the coniferous maze. By the time they got there, Seifer had already jumped off his chocobo and was scouting the entrance to the fire cave, which was only a short distance away. Edgar tied the chocobo's to some trees and knelt down beside Seifer at the edge of the forest.   
            "Looks like you guys were right. Seems to me that the cave has seen some recent use. Huge paw prints that can only belong to a great wyrm are littering the entrance. " Edgar pointed out, scrutinizing the cave's opening.   
            "Figures." Seifer snorted, "Any idea how to get past the dragon, wherever it is in there? Great wyrms aren't called 'great' because they're good drinking buddies."   
            "If there were some way for us to be hidden, we might be able to kill it with surprise on our side..." Edgar looked at Seifer, not really seeing him. Then, something dawned on the King, "Wait...was that magic you used to heal me?"   
            "Yeah...why?" Seifer was confused. To him, magic was a part of everyday life. It seemed like Edgar was surprised to find that magic existed, '_Oh yeah...Faye told me about this. Magic has been gone from their world for 11 years now…_' Looking back at Edgar, he saw that the King's eyes were closed and his lips were moving silently. Edgar opened his eyes, extending an arm towards Seifer and placing the other on himself.   
            "Vanish!!" No outward effect of the incantation could be seen, but Edgar hoped that his spell had worked, "Since I believe that magic might have returned I just tried to cast 'Vanish', an old spell I had memorized years ago. If it worked, we'll become invisible over the course of the next few minutes. Its only temporary, though."   
            "And if it didn't work, we go on as usual, right?" Seifer's expression was grim. As much as he disliked the thought of going head on against a dragon, he knew it had to be done.   
            "We'll have to do that anyway, we won't know if the spell worked until the last minute."   
            "When the dragon either sees us or doesn't..."   
            "Exactly. Lets move in quickly and silently. The spell won't last long once it's in effect..." Edgar made a short dash to the cave, waiting a moment before signaling Seifer to follow. When both men were at the cave's lip, they delved into the putrid hot cavern.   
            As they progressed further and further in the murky cave, Edgar saw that on each side of the pathway, there was molten hot lava.   
            '_I don't think it'll be safe to stay here for very long......' He thought. 'Sulphur can become poisonous after a while.._.' The path was a very long straightforward one, giving only a single obvious route to the intrepid heroes. Rocky crags lined the far walls on each side. The ceiling was very high up, and both men guessed that in one or two locations there would be prime space for a dragon to fly down and eat them in one fell swoop. The ground on which they walked upon was very unstable and more than once they nearly lost their footing. After about ten minutes of walking, Seifer noticed a smaller pathway that led to hole in the cave's wall. It seemed like there was something beyond that hole.   
            "Hey Edgar, look at this. I think I've found something interesting." He walked the narrow path and stepped through the opening, coming into a small subcavern. Since there was no magma to light the way, the subcavern was very gloomy. Seifer was hardpressed to make out the outline of three figures on the ground in the far corner. Edgar, who was right behind him, exclaimed,   
            "Dear God! That's Gau!" He rushed over to the still form and searched for a pulse. He found one, but it was very faint, "I have to get him out of here now, he's comatose and near death."   
            "So are these guys." Seifer had knelt down beside the other two. One was a silver-haired woman and the other was a dark-toned man, "These guys are my posse. I was supposed to introduce Faye to them today..." With a bit of hard work, Edgar and Seifer dragged their three friends out of the subcavern and back into the path.   
            "Edgar, I'm going to go ahead of you and get Faye. If these guys are this bad, then she's not too long from suffering the same thing. Can you manage?" Seifer stared anxiously down the pathway, '_I don't want either of us to stay in here long enough to drop..._'   
            "Yeah, I can. I 'll go grab the chocobos and use them to carry these guys out." Edgar passed Seifer his scabbard, "Use this if you have to. It'll cut through that dragon's stomach like butter." Seifer gladly took the sword and handed Edgar his gunblade.   
            "Thanks for your help." Seifer nodded before taking off down the corridor. Picking up the woman first, being the lightest of the three, Edgar took off and ran back to the exit. 

            Elsewhere, further down the corridor, the great wyrm sat triumphantly in the entryway to a large circular platform. He was basking, relishing, in the sulfurous fumes with which he was surrounded. Around this platform was a pool of lava that churned and bubbled in a constant rhythm. This, once a home to a powerful summon, was now nothing more than a dragon's den.   
            "Ifrit..." It rumbled, "Look at your home now. Nothing more than a layaway for sacrificial victims." In front of the dragon, imbedded in the ground, was a tall pillar of roughly-hewn stone. Chained to this stone was Faye Gabbiani. Her arms were pinned to the rockface above her head, making it a laborious task to breathe. Her legs were free to move, but that did little to solve her current problem.   
            '_Malachi...I think that's what it called itself when we were in the air..._' Faye was feeling rather ill at the moment. Surrounded by so much sulfur and excruciating heat, Faye found herself becoming quite naucious. It had been approximately an hour or two since her abduction, '_If I don't get out of here, these fumes will do some serious harm.._.' A tear began to form under her right eye. Malachi, posessing sharper senses than any other creature, picked up on this.   
            "Do not mourn for your lost loved ones, young one, you will be joining them shortly." Malachi cackled what could only be distinguished as draconian laughter, "I think I recall picking your father's bones from my teeth earlier this morning!"   
            "I don't believe you!!" Faye screamed at Malachi, hatred lacing her normally joyous voice. Leering unpassionately, the dragon swung something so it landed just in front of Faye. Looking at it despite her internal alarms, Faye's mouth quivered when she saw a medallion that she had given Setzer for his birthday the year before. Even from two meters away, Faye could make out the distinct deck of cards embossed in the medallions center, "H...how did you get that..."   
            "I told you, _inferior_. I killed your father and his friends on that contraption you call an airship. Pitiful; they didn't even put up much of a fight. They begged for their lives." Faye turned her head so she couldn't see Malachi relish in his triumph.   
            "Why are you doing all this?" She choked, stifling back tears, "What's it all for?" Malachi stared at Faye a moment before speaking.   
            "Since its inevitable that you will be sacrificed to the Fanatics, I see no harm in embellishing a word or two." In a gesture to make himself more imposing, Malachi propped himself up on his forelegs, giving many meters of space between his chest and the ground. He looked every bit the ferocious great wyrm red that he was. The height difference between them sent a wave of renewed fear through Faye's body. Never in her entire life had she seen anything this gargantually huge, "Eleven years ago, when your family destroyed Lord Kefka and his magic, that banished all my brethren. The Fanatics, worshippers of Kefka and his magic, managed to prevent me from suffering the fate my kin did. As payment to them, and because if I didn't I'm as good as dead, I allied with them. Since then, we've plotted together to construct a machine that would merge our world with the closest one abundant in magic and to garner a means of revenge against those that nearly destroyed us. As you can see, we're half-way to achieving our goal. Unfortunately, the Fanatics never possessed any real magic of their own; they worshiped what they were hand fed. This new world will provide them the opportunity to amass huge quantities of their own." Faye was really beginning to feel ill. She thought she could see two dragons. Mistaking her silence for awestruckeness, Malachi roared.   
            "Too speechless to comment, eh human? Its just as well. I have the lovely business of torturing you before we head to the tower." He watched her reaction carefully, enjoying her torment and agony. Through the haze surrounding her mind, Faye could hardly comprehend what the great wyrm had said. She was barely able to mumble,   
            "...why..?"   
            "Because. The Fanatics and their leader seek revenge for what your father and his friends did. They know that if I torture then kill you, it'll cause them that much more pain knowing you suffered so much and they couldn't do anything to help you." Malachi lowered himself closer to the ground, making himself at eye level with Faye, "Its all your father's fault. Its because if _him_ that you'll die. How does that make you --- what the?!" Malachi stopped taunting abruptly when he felt a sharp stabbing pain in his lower midsection. Looking down, he could see that his stomach was slowly ripping itself open. His following roar echoed around the cavern. He was in agony, and by the time he could move, his wound has spread itself to his chest. Malachi's eyes widened when the gash sliced through his left lung and ribcage. He jumped backwards, careful not to irritate his mysteriously split open underbelly. Faye, who could barely keep her eyes open, saw all of this. However, she was slowly being drug into something much more welcoming than reality.   
            '_Just a little rest.._.' The last thing she saw before succumbing to the fuzzy warmth spreading over her body was Seifer magically appearing in front of Malachi. He was in a battle pose with his left arm pointing backward and his right one high in the air holding the Atma Weapon. Seifer was in his element.   
            "..Seifer..." Then, all was dark. 

            Seifer turned and faced Malachi, who was writhing in pain. Dragon blood soaked the floor as Malachi was bleeding profusely.   
            '_I can't risk using my fire breath...or anything else for that matter. I'll rip myself apart if I try. Escape is the best option; I can regenerate and come back at a later time_.' Malachi stretched his wings and gave them a painful flap. He took to the air, flying past Seifer and heading straight towards the ceiling.   
            "Come back here you son of a bitch!" Seifer called after it. Malachi paid the puny human no further attention as he pierced the ceiling in a place where he had weakened it earlier. Seifer sheathed the Atma Weapon, casting a glance where the dragon had been moments before. He then turned to Faye and ran over to her. The manacles that held her were easy to pick, and soon Seifer had Faye in his arms. He knelt down so he could look her over with much more ease. She wasn't as dirty as the others had been, considering they had been here for at least a day. However, she had received as much sulfur poisoning as they did; she had been in the center of the most sulfurous location in the cave.   
            "Faye! Faye, can you hear me?" Seifer waited for an answer, any answer. She was still breathing, but no words came forth. Seifer hung his head, touching foreheads with her, "I'm too late..." He stood up, cradling her in his arms. He ran out of the cavern with her in his arms and headed towards the exit. 

            Edgar was waiting outside the cave with Gau, Fujin, and Raijin on the chocobos. He was holding the reins, waiting for some sign of Faye or Seifer. By the look on Seifer's face when he emerged from the Fire Cave, Edgar understood all too well that something was terribly wrong. Faye hung limply in Seifer's arms, a tell-tale sign of deep unconsciousness.   
            "Faye's comatose as well, isn't she?" Edgar cursed this day and whoever was behind all of this. Together, with Seifer carrying Faye, they walked in silence. Arriving at Balamb Garden, Seifer passed Faye over to Edgar, along with the Atma Weapon. Seifer got his gunblade back after taking the reins of the chocobo carrying his posse.   
            "I'll take these guys to the infirmary. After I make sure they're all right I'll come in and check on Faye." Seifer extended a hand to his comrade-in-arms. With Faye in his arms, Edgar found it difficult to return the gesture. Instead, he nodded.   
            "Come by anytime, my Castle is open to you." Seifer turned to go, but Edgar continued, "If they give you flak for disobeying orders, tell them to come see me. I'll do whatever I can to help."   
            "Thanks, but they wouldn't listen to you..." Seifer kept walking, the chocobo carrying his posse trailing behind. 

            That afternoon, Seifer spent his time suffering the dredges of a rather severe reprimand. Apparently, Squall, after helping Cyan recuperate, gave a very detailed report of the day's events to Headmaster Cid Kramer. The Headmaster was very displeased with Seifer, but in light of the heroics he did commit, Seifer only received a mild punishment. For an undetermined period of time, Seifer's rank of head of the Disciplinary Committee was stripped from him. His mornings and afternoons were to be restricted to Garden where he was scheduled to perform various tasks under probation. SeeD did not treat insubordination lightly. By the time he was free to leave the Garden, evening was beginning to set in. Seifer was greeted by a manservant at Figaro's entrance. The man had been ordered by Edgar to escort Seifer inside. The dejected SeeD followed the manservant through a myriad of hallways in a route that he recognized as the way to Faye's bedroom. They arrived at the doorway much sooner than Seifer expected. He felt drained and exhausted; the day had worn him out much more than he had expected. Clearing his thoughts, Seifer thanked the attendant and handed him a handful of Gil.   
            '_I hope this is worth something_.' Nodding and bowing graciously, the manservant departed. Seifer turned the doorknob and crossed the threshold into Faye's bedroom. She was in her bed, tucked in by layer upon layer of soft, warm blankets. Her head was propped upon a fluffy white pillow with a cloth lying upon her forehead. As a preventative measure to keep Faye from overheating, whoever had placed her there had made sure her arms were above the blankets and at her side. Seifer took a good look at her,   
            '_Still comatose._' Edgar was sitting on a chair beside the bed, periodically re-moistening the cloth. He turned when Seifer entered.   
            "I did all I could to remove the poisoning..." Edgar gazed sadly at Faye for a moment, "She'll be in a coma for a while, I think."   
            "But, she'll be all right? What about your friend, Gau?" Seifer remained in front of the doorway, keeping a respectable distance between himself and the others. He felt ashamed that he wasn't able to do anything more than he did earlier.   
            '_I should have gotten there sooner instead of arguing with pinhead...maybe I might have been able to prevent Fujin and Raijin from going comatose aswell. I failed them all..._'   
            "Yeah, I think that both Faye and Gau will be all right given some time. What about your friends?" Edgar recalled that there were two others that were in the cave when they explored it. They had been in similar shape as Gau when he had last seen them.   
            "They aren't doing much better than Faye; they'll be out of it for some time." Seifer let out an exasperated sigh and proceeded to explain how his day went. He was frustrated and infuriated. Edgar listened intently while Seifer spoke and felt his displeasure grow with each passing second.   
            "That's ludicrous! Such unfair treatment. I understand where Squall's logic was when he gave that order, but it was ill-given. If you hadn't of come with me, I'm not certain if we could have saved Faye. By the time I had rescued Gau and your friends and returned for Faye, that dragon would have most likely made a meal out of her." Edgar stood up, faced Seifer and bowed graciously. Seifer, astonished and unused to such kind treatment, gaped at Edgar, "I thank you from the deepest bowels of my heart for saving my dear friend. You are a truly honorable man and I'll do whatever I can to keep you two together. She needs a good man, and you seem to be just the person to fit that bill --" Edgar would have continued, except something caught his attention. He heard the familiar whine of engines that told of the final decent of a certain airship.   
            '_The Falcon's back already..._' Edgar thought as he walked over to the window. Seifer followed, curious to see what had interrupted Edgar. Crowding the windowpane, both men watched as Setzer guided a beat-up and shaky airship to the ground. It looked like it had more than a scrape or two on it from a rather rough encounter. When everything had quieted down, a figure leaped down from the airship and approached the castle very quickly, looking around for any sign of his brother. Sabin was followed by two others, Setzer and Locke. Spotting Edgar in Faye's window, he called out to him.   
            "Edgar! Alert the guards, there's a dragon that's planning to attack the Castle today and...uhh..." Sabin, only now taking the time to take a good look at the Castle, saw that his warning was coming just a little late, "...damn." Seifer, standing beside Edgar and looking out and down at the three men below, was unimpressed with Sabin. He yelled down angrily,   
            "Thanks a lot, pal, that might have been useful to your guards this morning _before_ some of them were eaten!!!" Before Seifer could continue, Edgar gently pushed him away from the window.   
            "Ssh...that's my brother, let me handle this." He warned. Sabin, glaring upwards, did not take kindly to Seifer's rude and uncalled for comment.   
            "Who the hell is that?!?!" Sabin stared past Edgar, trying to get a good look at Seifer, '_I don't appreciate people making smart-assed comments like that, especially when it involves something this serious!!_'   
            "Get up here and I'll explain, brother!" With that, Edgar turned away from the window and spoke to Seifer, "When they get up here, I'll go out of the room and speak with them privately. The platinum-haired man you saw there is Faye's father and an old friend. I have to tell them myself. I hope you understand." Seifer understood and agreed with Edgar.   
            "I'll just grab that chair by Faye's bed while you talk to them." Seifer made his way to the bed and sat down in said chair. He took hold of Faye's hand and sat in silence. Edgar remained close to the window, waiting for his brother and company to get upstairs. It didn't take them long and soon Edgar was answering some knocking at the door. He stepped outside the room, closing the door behind him.   
            "Uh...why did you come out of the room? Wouldn't it have been easier for us to just go in..?" Sabin was mildly perplexed. Behind him stood Setzer and Locke, both anxious to hear what went on during their absence from Figaro Castle.   
            "Never mind that, it's unimportant, Sabin." Edgar looked from one man to the other, waiting for someone to ask what he knew was coming next. He couldn't bear to bring it up himself. It was Setzer who finally broke the silence.   
            "Who was that man in my daughter's bedroom..?" Edgar cringed slightly, knowing how protective Setzer could be of Faye.   
            "Yes, brother, who the hell was that?" Sabin chimed in, emphasizing each word as he spoke.   
            "That man, guys, is Seifer Almasy." Pausing a moment, Edgar took a deep breath, "He saved Faye's life today. The dragon you came to warn us about attacked us this morning. It killed a good quarter of our guards and nearly killed Cyan and I. After we were incapacitated, the dragon knocked down Faye, Seifer, and some others and made off with Faye. Seifer and I, after recovering, went and rescued her but not before she fell into a coma. I'm sorry." Edgar was looking away from them, cringing again, imagining horrified looks on their faces. He stepped aside, knowing full well that Setzer would want to see his daughter. Edgar's instincts were right on the mark; Setzer walked past him and opened the door. When he passed Edgar, he whispered,   
            "You did all you could..." Then, he disappeared into the room, the door closing softly behind him. Sabin slammed his fist into the wall after Setzer left. Edgar and Locke stared wide-eyed at him.   
            "I should have killed that dragon...! That thieving bastard! First he makes off with our valuables, then he tries to kill us. I was all right with that, though; sure he took Setzer's medallion and a lot of Gil but no lives were lost. Then he comes and nearly kills my brother and Cyan, kills some good men, and sends Faye into a coma! I won't have it..!" He punched the wall again, this time his fist hurting something fierce, "Son of a bitch!!" Edgar placed a hand on his brother's shoulder,   
            "Sabin, come on. Lets go and calm you down, you can visit Faye later." Grudgingly, Sabin agreed and followed his brother down the hallway. Locke was left alone, deciding what to do with himself.   
            '_I'll go send for a messenger, I need to get a message to Celes. When the Falcon's ready, I'll get Setzer to pick her up for me. She'll be much safer here than at home._' Like the 'treasure-hunter' that he was, Locke disappeared silently down the corridor without a sound. 

            Setzer walked over to the bed and stood beside Seifer. He bent forward and placed a hand on his only child's forehead.   
            "What did that beast want with you...?" He whispered to his daughter, wishing she would answer him and come out of her coma. Instead, Faye's face remained expressionless and calm. Setzer removed his hand and simply gazed sadly at his daughter. He then turned his attention to Seifer, taking a good look at the man Edgar claimed was responsible for saving the life of his daughter. 'He's not much older than she is...' Seifer noticed that Setzer was looking at him and stared back. He saw the resemblance between the two immediately. Both shared simliar platinum hair and facial features. Seifer was surprised to see that they also shared similar aesthetic tastes; Faye wore a black trenchcoat similar to Setzer's with the exception that her's was sleeveless and less ornate.   
            '_Like father like daughter, I guess..._'   
            "Thank you, Seifer, for saving my daughter's life. I'm sure that if she were awake right now, she'd thank you as well." Setzer extended a hand towards Seifer, who took it and shook hands with him.   
            "Hey, it was something I had to do. I only wish I could have gotten there sooner; if I had, she would have been able to greet you happily outside rather than silently in this bed." Seifer pulled his hand away.   
            "I'm just glad you saved her, point blank. Coma or not, she's alive and that's what counts." Setzer clenched his hands into fists, "I just wish I could make heads or tails of why the dragon kidnapped her. It makes no sense..."   
            "I think I know part of the reason why he did it. I overheard him before I slit his stomach open..." Seifer was almost reluctant to continue, "It said something along the lines that it was all your fault and you and your friends were the reason she was going to die."   
            "All...my fault..? What the hell..?" Setzer placed a hand to his face, exhausted, "I'm afraid that I've taken all I can handle for one night. I'll sleep on this and hopefully make some sense of it. I probably won't know until Faye recovers. Thanks again for all your help, Seifer. Goodnight." With those final words Setzer left the room and headed to bed.   
            "That'll take some time, I think. Faye still has to make sense of it all herself." Seifer whispered to himself, focusing once again on the woman who was so quickly capturing his heart. 

            A month passed. Edgar expected some sort of move from either the dragon or whoever was behind the merge of the worlds. Nothing stirred. He found out via his brother that Mobliz, Thamasa, Kohlingen, South Figaro, and Jidoor were all missing. The only town that had something in its place was South Figaro. The rest had simply vanished. Seifer, who visited Faye every day, informed Edgar that Fujin and Raijin had recovered from their comas, and that his comrades had returned in their airship and had reported that some of their towns had disappeared as well. Deling City, Shumi Village, Winhill, and the Centra Ruins were all gone. Sabin busied himself with refining his Blitz techniques. If anything dared to attack the castle while he was home, he'd happily dish out a patented 'Bum Rush' or two. Setzer repaired the airship bit by bit with each passing day, trying to get it back at peak performance. That was quite the difficult task, as Malachi had inflicted heavy damage to the Falcon. Gau had also emerged from his coma and had been under strict surveillance by Cyan, who was about to take no chances with his protegé's health. Locke remained at Figaro Castle in case he was needed, and was waiting for the Falcon to be repaired so he could send for his wife and unborn child. Faye was the only one who hadn't recovered. Something was preventing her from emerging from her shell, some deep emotion kept her subconsciously fearful of coming out of the safe haven into which she had been thrust. Since Seifer's posse had recovered, he spent all his free time at Figaro; Fujin and Raijin helped him with his probationary chores when they had time. That month dragged on, the people of both worlds accepting the change and getting used to their new lives. The denizens of both Figaro Castle and Balamb Garden, however, vigilantly kept up the watch for anything amiss. They didn't accept the change so easily. 

            Late one night, during one of his regular visits, Seifer started to contemplate the events that had occurred over the past month. Much had happened and now he had plenty of time to sort things out, including his feelings. If he could go back in time, he'd still do things the way he did. From making fun of Zell in front of Faye, to spending the whole night atop Figaro Castle with her, he'd do it again in a heartbeat. He regretted some of the things he said to Squall during their argument that one day, but Seifer would still have disobeyed his order to go and rescue Faye. Since then, he's spent all his evenings sitting at her bedside, talking to her, trying to get her to come out of her shell with no success. That night, Seifer stayed way past his usual visiting hours and felt ready to fall asleep.   
            "Man...what a time we've had, eh Faye?" He murmured sleepily, "When I first saw you, I never imagined the things we'd end up sharing." He spoke in a soothing tone, hoping that would help to lull her back to him. His elbows were on the edge of the bed, his hands holding his head up as he spoke, "I never thought I'd meet someone like you, let alone risk my life to save you. But there I was without a second thought..*Yawn* I've changed. I wasn't always so soft..." Seifer blushed, grateful that it was just the two of them in the room, "I think I...fell for you when we first spoke that night. Your charm, your intelligence, your sexy looks all captured me and my heart. I've never felt this way about anyone before. I want *yawn* you to come back to me, *yawn* I need you to come back. Please, please if you hear me give me a sign that you're still in there. I want to...I want to..." Seifer felt himself drawn to sleep, unable to finish the thought. He slouched over, his head falling softly to the bed just beside Faye's arm. He was fast asleep within seconds. Unseen by anyone, Faye's hand moved from the bed to rest upon Seifer's head. There it remained for the rest of the night. 

            Inside a blackened husk, surrounded by loud and smothering sounds, was a very frightened young woman curled in a fetal position. Her eyes were wide with fear, her lips quivering, and her limbs trembling. Over the course of a month, she had come a long way. Back then, the trembling had been much worse. It had been more violent and uncontrollable, accompanied by screaming fits. Malachi had indeed done a job on Faye. His malicious speech had caused the desired effect on her. She was being kept in her prison not because she hadn't recovered from the sulfur poisoning, but because of her fears. In her mind, Setzer, Sabin, Locke, Edgar, and Cyan were all dead; two of which she had seen die before her very eyes. She didn't want to come out and face the reality of living without them. It hurt too much. She was on the verge of regressing into another fit when a voice cut through the clamor and reached her. "...I fell for you...captured...my heart...come back...need you...baack...give me...sign...in there..." Faye stopped trembling for a fraction of a second and that was all that was needed for her mind to remember. Seifer had been the last person she saw before giving into her desire to withdraw. He was still alive! Faye desperately tried to send a message to him that she was all right. Seifer always made her feel better and she knew then that if she went and saw him, he would help ease her pain. Somehow, she felt that it was his constant presence that brought her this far and that he would be able to help bring her back. She reached out through her shattered self and forced her hand to move where it went. She wasn't sure how she had done it, but Faye was encouraged to do more. She was determined to see him again; she'd battle all the demons in her head to get to him and proceeded to do just that. 

            Seifer awoke the next morning immediately aware that something was sitting atop his head. He slowly opened his eyes, letting the light filter through. He sat up, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes and saw to his astonishment that Faye's hand fell from his head to the bed.   
            "Wha..?" Seifer didn't understand right away, he was still waking up, "How did that get there? Could she be...?" Seifer looked closely at her and was disappointed to see that she was still unconscious. As an afterthought, entertaining the possibility that Faye was only sleeping, Seifer gently shook her. No such luck, though. Seifer sat back in his seat, cursing. He could hear heavy footsteps approaching the room, '_Should I head back to Garden before they find out I'm not there..? Naaah...those morons can live without me for one day_.' Seifer could hear some knocking on the door, but chose to ignore it. 'This isn't my room...' After a short pause, someone opened the door and walked through. Seifer sat in his chair and watched Sabin come in without either man saying a word. He found that he got along much better with Edgar than he did Sabin, '_Probably because of that first impression I made. He only tolerates me for Faye's sake. Oh well, no big loss._'   
            "Hey, shouldn't you be home right now?" Sabin asked gruffly as he waked to Faye's bedside. He visited every day and was used to being alone until Edgar and Setzer came by one after the other to visit Faye.   
            "Yeah, but my posse'll cover for me; I'm not worried." Seifer replied. He wasn't a morning person and didn't need a confrontation with Sabin right then and there.   
            "Your funeral." Sabin took Faye's hand a moment and squeezed it.   
            "Oh really?" Seifer didn't care for Sabin's comments but felt compelled to answer him again.   
            "You were given a chance and you're blowing it by staying here this morning. Very unwise of you. I doubt Faye would appreciate you doing this on her account." He released Faye's hand, but didn't look at Seifer. Instead, he kept a saddened gaze upon Faye, "_I don't know what she sees in this guy._"   
            "And? What's your point?! They can't be watching me all the time and right now I'd rather be here spending my time with Faye. What makes you think she _wouldn't_ appreciate me staying here this morning?" Seifer said as smugly as he normally was with Zell or Squall. Sabin towered over Seifer, who was still sitting in the chair. Seifer, realizing this, stood up. He squared off with Sabin in what could only be termed as a verbal face-off.   
            "I've known her for many years, punk. One would think I'd know enough about her to get an idea of what she likes and dislikes." Sabin took a breather before continuing. Feeling the anger boiling beneath his skin, Sabin made an attempt to keep his voice level, "I don't know what she sees in you; you're an arrogant little son of a bitch. I think you should stay away from her." Seifer dismissed Sabin with a wave of his hand. He leered,   
            "Piss off, I don't need a 38 year-old virgin cramping my style or telling me what to do. Leave me alone and go back to whitewashing your little corner." Seifer was about to sit back down when he suddenly found himself slammed into the stone wall by Sabin who held him by the scruff of his trenchcoat.   
            "What was that?!" Sabin held Seifer to the wall at arm's length, just far enough away to slap him around if necessary. Seifer, originally shocked by this turn of events, regained his senses and smiled wickedly. Both were oblivious to the receeding footsteps running away from the open doorway.   
            "I doubt Faye would appreciate you treating me like this, _King_ Sabin..." Sabin's eyes flared crimson for the briefest of moments as Seifer sarcastically emphasized his title. His free arm flexed, anxious to do something other than hang there. Seifer was holding Sabin's arm and was trying to get out of his grip. He didn't particularly enjoy being held to a wall, especially by someone who could easily break his neck without much effort.   
            "...ooh..." A faint moan was heard from the bed which caused both men to turn their heads towards it. Faye's face was creased in a frown, and it looked as if she were fighting something inside her head. "...Seifer..." Again, she moaned, and this time Sabin dropped Seifer in shock.   
            "Ow! Son of a.." Seifer had landed rather roughly on his rear. That didn't deter him from getting back to his feet, ducking around Sabin's massive body, and standing close to the bed, leaning over Faye. He was watching her intently, as was Sabin, both men respecting an unspoken and rather sudden truce between them. Faye was tossing and turning in her bed as though she was trying to get free of something.   
            "Faye!!!" Seifer cried out, giving her the final anchor she needed to pull free. And, as a deep sea diver emerges from the murky depths of the ocean, Faye burst through the confines of her coma and opened her eyes. She gasped for air as she threw the bedsheets off her body and practically leaped at Seifer, almost knocking him backwards to the ground. Seifer held her tightly, pressing her face to his chest, holding her near. Faye held back, clutching him. They stood there together, Sabin watching them in silence.   
            "I knew you could do it, Faye...I knew you would come back. I'm so glad." He brought up a hand and gently stroked her braided hair.   
            "You're...the reason I came back. I heard your voice and followed it back." Faye whispered so lightly that both Sabin and Seifer were hardpressed to hear her. So far, she had not seen Sabin. That much was obvious when she spoke, "You're the only one left aren't you...Malachi killed everyone..." She shuddered, but Seifer kept her close.   
            "That's not true, Faye. They're all alive. That thing...Malachi, lied to you. He wanted to hurt you by making you believe him." Seifer brought his hand around and forced Faye to look at Sabin, "Look, there's dickhea--err...Sabin. Your father is somewhere in the Castle, too." Faye looked at Sabin in disbelief for a moment until it finally registered.   
            '_He lied? Then...then they're alive?!_' Her shoulders slumped a bit as she felt relief wash over her body, "They're alive..! They're all alive..." She began crying, but instead of sadness, they were tears of joy. Seifer and Sabin remained as they were, silently thanking the powers that be. Faye was still a bit weak as it had been a month since she had made any use of her muscles. She leaned heavily upon Seifer, drawing what strength she had from him. '_My father is alive...I don't have to live without him._' She thought, tears streaming down her face. '_Sabin...Locke...all of them, alive!_' She held onto Seifer, slowly regaining strength. "How long was I out for...it felt like an eternity trapped inside my own head."   
            "You were out...for about a month, I think." Sabin offered. Faye looked up at him in mild shock. She stopped crying and shook her head. As they continued, two pairs of swift footsteps could be heard approaching. Sabin smiled, knowing precisely who it was. Setzer and Edgar must be visiting Faye together this morning. Faye was curious and pulled away from Seifer to greet whoever it was. She dragged her feet across the floor, walking to the door. Seeing both Seifer and Sabin moving to help her, Faye waved them off.   
            "I got this." She mumbled, concentrating on walking. Moments later, Edgar and Setzer ran into the room expecting all hell to have broken loose. Setzer accidentally ran straight into Faye not seeing her until the last minute. Before she could fall to the ground, he caught her and hugged her tightly.   
            "Faye!!" He exclaimed in surprise. Setzer had expected her to still be in a coma lying in bed. What a pleasant surprise it was for him to see her up and about. Edgar continued towards his brother, anger blazing in his face.   
            "What the hell were you thinking attacking Seifer?" Edgar was very upset, '_I was none too pleased to find out that that Sabin had been holding Seifer to the wall. Thankfully the guy who saw this was smart enough not to confront Sabin on his own and alerted me..._' Edgar dragged his brother to the other end of the room, not caring if anyone saw. He knew that Setzer and Faye were too immersed in their reunion to bother themselves with sibling squabbling. He hoped Seifer knew better than to get involved.   
            "Attack him? How did you find ou--I mean...I'd never!!" Sabin blinked a few times, realizing that he had just admitted to Edgar's accusation, "Shit..!"   
            "'Shit' indeed. What possessed you, Sabin?" Edgar folded his arms across his chest, waiting for a suitable answer.   
            "I was only offering advice to him! That ingrate kept shooting my comments down with smart assed replies and insults. I could only take so much, Edgar!" Sabin clenched his fists together, reliving the rage he had felt earlier.   
            "Mm. What are the odds that your 'advice' was unwanted, unwelcome, and came from your obvious dislike of Seifer?" Edgar watched Sabin's reaction carefully, satisfied that his appraisal of the situation had been on the mark.   
            "Well, I'll admit that I wasn't the most courteous person around, but..."   
            "No 'buts', Sabin. He only reacted defensively; please try to get along with him. You might end up liking him, god forbid!" Edgar patted his brother on the shoulder and headed back to the reunion.   
            "Fat chance of that, Edgar. He'll have to earn my respect before I like him, and that won't be an easy task." Sabin muttered under his breath as he followed Edgar back to Faye, Setzer, and Seifer. Faye was standing on her own and gave Sabin a big hug when he got close enough, "I missed ya, Faye. I'm glad to see you back!" Sabin said as he returned her hug with one that could have been painful had Faye not been used to it.   
            "You too, you big lug." Faye smiled lightly, still feeling the aftereffects of her coma. She felt a little lightheaded but that wasn't enough to stop her from enjoying the company of her friends. She had endured a month believing they were dead and finding out that they had been alive had been enough to alleviate most of the pain she had accumulated. Edgar and Sabin left shortly to take care of some pressing duties, but promised to return at a later hour. Faye wouldn't let them leave until Edgar also gave her a hug. She wanted to make doubly sure that they really were there. Setzer remained a bit longer, as if he, too, were double-checking that this was real.   
            "Faye, I can't tell you how happy it makes me to see you up and about again. I was scared this entire month that you'd never come out of it..."   
            "I know father, I was scared too." Faye was sitting on the bed, as was her father. Seifer sat in the chair, off to the side a bit, listening and watching and even partaking in the conversation occasionally.   
            "I came to visit you every evening, after my probation period." Seifer leaned over and clasped his hands around hers. Faye, in response, placed her other hand atop his and smiled warmly at him. Setzer's heart was warmed by this show of affection.   
            "I'm glad you came. It made me so happy to see you when I woke---hey! How come you're on probation? What happened?" Faye was rather shocked to hear this.   
            "Bah! Don't worry about it. Squall decided to be a prick and gave me an order I couldn't follow and I got punished for it." He flashed Faye a quick smile, "It should be over soon, though. In fact, I think that today they were going to consider removing the pro...ba...OH NO!" Seifer looked out the window and realized his mistake. Today was a day he couldn't afford to skip probation; they were planning to absolve him of his punishment that afternoon, "Um, Faye. I gotta take off or I'll be in serious trouble!" He stood up and gave her a quick peck on the forehead before bolting to the door, "See you later!" He called over his shoulder. Setzer was astonished; someone had just kissed his daughter! He could handle holding hands and affection, but this was too much for him. Faye just stared, speechless, at the empty doorway. She had been meaning to say something, but her father's presence and the subsequent kiss on the forehead had whisked the words from her. She had wanted to say something in response to what he had said to her during her coma. Something along the lines of,   
            '_I've fallen for you, too..._' 

End of Chapter 2

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	5. Part 2 - Chapter 3

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART 2**

Chapter 3

            After lunch, Faye decided that she would try and build up some strength by walking around the castle. She went slowly, using a cane to help her when pure muscle power wasn't enough. The pain of Malachi's lies had quickly vanished when Faye realized that they were just that; lies. Setzer was walking with her. He had finished most of the repairs on the Falcon and, of course, Faye was his first and only priority. He wanted to keep an eye on her and help when she needed it. Of course, she tried to do it all on her own. She decided that it was time she told someone what the dragon had spoke of.   
            "Father," She began, "Does 'The Fanatics' have any special meaning to you?"   
            "Yes. Yes, that does mean something to me." Setzer was more than a little surprised that Faye was asking about them, but attributed it to youthful curiosity, "We defeated them many years ago, just before we vanquished Kefka. They were a cult that worshiped him and his magic. When magic disappeared, they lost everything that they had believed in and based their lives upon. Why do you bring them up?"   
            "Because, they sent that dragon, Malachi, to kidnap me." Faye was satisfied to find out that her kidnapping had come with some good connotations. She would be able to provide her father and friends with some useful information, "They wanted revenge for what you guys did and wanted to torture me as their method of revenge. That's not important though. Their main goal is to acquire magic through --" Setzer cut Faye off before she could continue.   
            "Ssssh, Faye. I think this is something we all should hear. Please, go back to your room and rest for the afternoon. I'll talk with Sabin and Edgar to set up a meeting this evening to discuss everything. You'll get worn out if you have to repeat everything over and over again." Setzer hugged Faye tightly again for the umpteenth time that day, "And I'm sorry they did that to you because of us..."   
            "Its all right father, I'm fine now. I'll go rest as you asked, I'm feeling a little tired anyway." Faye turned and started to walk down the corridor.   
            "Sleep well!" Setzer said before heading off in search of his comrades. Faye waved a hand over her shoulder as if saying 'Yes, yes..' 

            Late that night, the meeting took place. Since Edgar had agreed a month before that he and SeeD would work together to help solve the problem, they were in attendance as well as his comrades. He felt that what he believed Faye knew could be vital in breaking the whole mystery surrounding the merger apart and he also believed that everyone should be privy to this information. Attending the meeting from Figaro were himself, Sabin, Faye, Setzer, Locke, Cyan, and Gau. Balamb residents that attended were Squall, Zell, Seifer, a gun-toting man named Irvine Kinneas, a stern-looking woman named Quistis Trepe, and a bubbly, happy-go-lucky woman named Selphie Timiltt. Edgar and Sabin were at their usual head of the table, with the former motioning for the meeting to commence.   
            "Thank you all for coming to this meeting on such short notice. It is a welcome change to see some new and beautiful faces, " He flashed a quick smile to Quistis and Selphie, " and to see some old friends, too. I have the pleasure of presenting to you my associate and dear friend, Faye. She recently went through a traumatizing exprience that may shed some light on our situation." Edgar turned to face her, indicating that it was her turn to speak.   
            "Uh, thanks Ed." She spoke calmly, trying her absolute best to remember everything that Malachi had told her. She began by recounting her time with Malachi and then proceeded to unveil the rest of what she had discovered. "The Fanatics are members of a cult who worship magic." She began, "They lost the entire foundation for their beliefs when my father and the rest of my friends here defeated their nemesis and subsequently caused magic to disappear forever from our world. The Fanatics began constructing a machine that they used last month to merge our worlds and thusly brought magic back. This allowed them access to your magic as well. Through the use of magic, they plan on dominating both our worlds..." Faye trailed off, finished for the time being.   
            "A machine powerful enough to combine worlds..." Quistis mused, "Would it be presumptuous to assume that if we destroyed the machine, things would return to normal?"   
            "Machines. It wouldn't surprise me if it were that easy, but something tells me there is much more behind it. They must have some trick up their sleeves beside their newfangled machine and irritating draconic ally." Cyan rumbled.   
            "Yeah, if they have magic now, I bet that they're protecting the machine with it." Squall pointed out, expanding on Cyan's thought.   
            "Pssh. What's to say they're not the stupid type who'll crumble when we kick their sorry asses? These guys here beat them once already, right?" Zell grinned from ear to ear, ready to unleash some hell.   
            "Zell, think. If they have as much power as is believed, then they most likely have amazing defensive capabilities!" Irvine added. Comments and discussions like this were flung back and forth for a half hour. Both Seifer and Faye remained silent throughout the entire debate. Eventually, though, Seifer got sick of the debacle and slammed his fist on the table, commanding the room into a quick silence.   
            "For Christ's sake people! Its not that hard to figure this out! We have only two, I repeat, two options at the moment: we go into their base and destroy the machine, or bust their asses until something is triggered. Listen, if they've had a month to gather magic, I'd wager that they're already accumulated large amounts of high-end magic. They most likely have awesome defensive and _offensive_ capabilities. We don't have time to be pissing around trying to figure out a complicated plan; they could attack us at any time!" Seifer took a deep breath before continuing, "Faye mentioned to me before the meeting that the Fanatics usually operate in a tower southeast from here. I suggest that we storm the place and end all of this there." Everyone, with a few exceptions, broke out in an uproar at this suggestion. Comments of 'Stupid idea!', 'That won't work!', and more were tossed about the table. Edgar managed to calm them down when he stood from his chair, sending it cascading across the floor. He cleared his throat.   
            "I doubt it'll be that easy, Seifer. Thanks for the suggestion, but well..." Edgar, for once, was at a loss for words. Part of him was playing the skeptic while the other was believing that the plan had a chance.   
            "No. Seifer's right." Everyone turned to look at Setzer with open mouths, "What have we got to lose? If they've had this much time to prepare, coupled with the eleven years between their initial defeat and today, we're as good as dead if we don't do anything now. I realize that its a major risk going into their lair without any prior knowledge of what they, and we, can do, but I think we stand a better chance of success if we try and stop their plans through whatever means necessary instead of putting around here in a boardroom." Setzer reached into his pocket, "Its the perfect gamble. Either we live or die, win or lose. Its all the same in the end. I'm placing all my chips on the table; ante up." As he spoke, Setzer placed his closed fist over the table and released what he had been concealing. Blue, red, and white poker chips scattered across the wooden surface. Faye and Seifer smiled broadly along with Setzer   
            "I'm game, father." Faye grabbed one of the poker chips and flipped it in the air, catching it with the same hand.   
            "Yeah, I wouldn't miss this for the world!" Seifer cheered, looking over at Faye, happy to see her doing so well.   
            "Booya!" Zell raised a fist to the air, agreeing wholeheartedly with the plan.   
            "Vwaooo!" Gau seemed just as ready to get into action as Zell.   
            "WOOHOO!" Selphie was just as excited. The others all silently nodded their agreement. Locke, on the other hand, remained silent until everyone had quieted down. Then, he spoke.   
            "This plan is all fine and dandy; hell, I'm all for it. But, before we go, there is something rather important that we should address." He cast a sidelong glance at Faye, almost regretting what he felt that he had to say, "I'm sorry that I have to say this, but someone has to think about it before hearts get broken. What do we do about Faye and Seifer's obviously blooming relationship?" Faye's heart began racing. This was something she didn't want to hear right now. She was feeling stronger and more stable and didn't need to dwell on something she tried profusely to deny. Locke pressed on, "If we go headlong into battle like this and succeed like I know we will, they'll be torn apart when the world's separate–-" Locke trailed off when Faye unexpectedly stood up and ran from the room. "Damnit…I..!" He felt horrible. Locke never meant to upset Faye, he had only been trying to help. Seifer tried calling out after her to stop, but she heard no one. He stood up, and seemed about to yell at Locke for being a moron, but changed his mind and his expression softened.   
            "Next time, please choose a better time to say something like that. She just got out of a coma believing that you all were dead. I was her only anchor to reality, and she's been trying not to think about us being separated soon. Hell, I've been trying to forget about it, too…" Seifer shook his head, "I'm going to go talk to her." With that, Seifer headed off to look for Faye. He didn't want to waste time yelling at her friends; besides, he wasn't even in the mood to be mean. Everyone sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few moments. Finally, someone spoke.   
            "I know that we don't have time to seaerch for a miracle, but there is a man who _may_ have a solution for them. His name is Dr. Odine and he operates in a city called Esthar. He might have a gadget or two that'll be able to help. It won't hurt to check. Thankfully the city is still intact. Iif you like, we can all go there and see if there is something we can do to help." Squall looked to his fellow Seed for support. They were all for it.   
            "Then its settled. We'll depart tomorrow morning for this…Esthar…and then from there, we give it our all in what could possibly be the most difficult battle in all our lives.." Edgar began, "We'll give you a bit of background information on the Fanatics that we know from our past experiences with them." While Edgar and the others from his old party talked, Setzer paid no attention to the conversation; he was deep in thought.   
            '_I only want her to be happy. I wonder at what cost her happiness will come to her?_' 

            After an hour of searching the castle for Faye, Seifer finally found her atop the very same tower they had sat upon for an entire evening one month prior. She was at the furthest end of the parapet with her back to the stairwell. Her shoulders were slumped and shaking.   
            '_She's crying…_' Seifer's heart sank, it pained him to see Faye upset. He walked until he was right behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders. She stopped shaking.   
            "You all right?" He asked.   
            "No. I'm not all right." She pulled out of his grasp and stepped aside, keeping her back to him. She wiped tears from her face as she did so. "I know that Locke meant well, it's just…it's just that I didn't want to hear _that_….not then, not now, not ever." Again, when Seifer tried to comfort her, Faye stepped aside. She seemed much stronger physically than she had earlier that morning when she had awakened in Seifer's arms. "I can't do this…I can't sit still and do nothing; innocent people may die…but if I do something and we win, I…" Faye felt tears stream down her face anew, "…I…" As Faye struggled with her feelings and words, Seifer gently turned her around and held her tight. This time, she didn't resist. Instead, she held him back, nestling her face in his chest, "…I'll lose you. I can't take that…I…love you, Seifer." Seifer gently stroked her hair, feeling its satiny texture intertwine with his fingers. A solitary tear fled down Seifer's face as he answered her. His voice was strained, and it wavered slightly when he spoke.   
            "I love you too…" At that, she looked up with her mouth open in surprise. Not that she didn't believe or share his words, just that she never believed it possible for anyone to truly love her like Seifer did. She had endured countless years shunned by her peers, and this seemed almost too good to be true. She didn't look the gift horse in the mouth, though. She wanted this more than she had ever wanted anything else in her life. Seifer then brought his face down and kissed her. Faye's eyes widened for a moment, then closed as she kissed him back. They held onto each other tightly, keeping their bodies close. Faye could feel her strength recover much more quickly than before, as she was drawing it from Seifer. Still they kissed, giving into the emotions they had felt since the first day they met. Love at first sight; the perfect way to describe their initial attraction that had blossomed into love. They were both overcome with the urge and desire to be close to each other, to hold and love each other. They finally realized the strange feelings that they had both felt for sometime now. Faye at long last knew that she had found her significant other and wasn't about to let him go without a fight. They both decided then and there that they would do whatever it took to stay together. Now, more than ever, Faye and Seifer felt the fear of separation. Soon, it felt as if the world had vanished, however, and they knew nothing but each other. This feeling intensified the longer they kissed. Seifer opened his eyes a moment, suddenly overcome with the desire to look at her, then shot them open when he saw Edgar and Setzer standing open mouthed and wide-eyed in the doorway. He reluctantly broke his lips away from Faye's. When she asked what was wrong, Seifer turned her around, never letting her go.   
            "Father?! Edgar?!" Her face flushed beet red. Edgar had recovered some composure and was grinning like the 'Dr. Love' he claimed to be and was giving them a 'thumbs-up.' Setzer gave him a strange look.   
            "Way to go guys, its about time." Edgar exclaimed, still with that goofy smile on his face.   
            '_We just saw my only daughter passionately…kissing someone and he's cheering! Good grief!_' Setzer thought to himself before apologizing for the intrusion.   
            "We just wanted to to let you guys know what's been decided." He looked at Edgar again, almost reluctantly. Setzer wasn't surprised to see Edgar still grinning like a buffoon, "Edgar! That's quite enough!"   
            "Sorry…" Edgar stopped grinning, but his eyes betrayed the same emotion. Seifer and Faye maintained a shocked and embarrassed silence.   
            "We'll be heading to the Fanatics Tower tomorrow morning. Seifer, Squall assigned you to the Ragnarok. I'd take you on my airship, but I'm afraid that orders are orders. Believed me, I tried. Faye, I'd like you to come on the Falcon, all right?" She nodded as did Seifer. Edgar decided that he was going to continue for Setzer at this point.   
            "On our way to the tower, we'll be making a stopover in Esthar. There we're supposed to meet up with a man named Dr. Odine who supposedly possesses technology that might be able to keep you two together physically." Edgar smiled warmly, picking up on their lifted spirits, "We'll go over the battle plans tomorrow before we leave. Right now, though, enjoy your time together. We'll make sure no one else interrupts..!" Edgar threw Faye a quick wink before heading down the stairs. Setzer stayed behind a moment and walked over and clapped Seifer on the back and tousled his daughter's hair.   
            "Take care of her." Setzer followed his friend down the stairs, leaving the two youths to spend a romantic night together.   
            "You think that doctor will be able to help us?" Faye turned around and looked up at Seifer, still holding onto him. Then they looked upwards at a beautifully starry night. A single star shone brighter than the rest. Seifer couldn't help but comment on how those stars paled in comparison to Faye.   
            "I hope so. I'll be praying long and hard tonight for sure." Seifer thought for a moment, holding Faye tight and savoring the moment. She nestled against him, "To Esthar…"   
            "To Esthar…" She whispered before raising her head. Soon, they were again swept away by the passionate tide of their surging emotions. 

End of Chapter 3

**

END OF PART II

**

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	6. Part 3 - Chapter 1

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART 3**

Chapter 1

            Sunrise came early for a few denizens of Figaro Castle. Sabin, in particular, found it too early for his liking and was walking hallway to hallway, drifting about in a rather meandering pattern. The night before had been consumed by a long meeting and rather short rest afterwards.   
            '_Ah man...I feel like shit._' Sabin thought to himself, '_This month was full of trials and tribulations that we all could have lived without. I hope everyone in South Figaro is all right...wherever they are._' He walked endlessly through corridors until he found himself amidst the clashing of swords. '_Aah, the sparring room. Who's practicing this early in the morning? The sun has barely begun its rising..._' He peered into the open doorway. His brother, Edgar, was dueling with Faye in one of their heated training sessions. They were both using longswords specialized for training. Neither Faye's own longsword nor Edgar's Atma Weapon were suitable for sparring. Both were breathing heavily; a sign that the duel had been going on for some time and was nearing completion. Faye was just recovering from Edgar's last attack and was preparing to retaliate. She lashed out with her sword, swinging in a wide arc. Edgar dodged out of the way easily, leaving Faye wide open. Faye realized her mistake too late and, before she could react, found a sword to her neck.   
            "If this had been a real battle, you would be dead by now." Edgar removed his sword and looked Faye straight into the eye. A smile began playing on his lips, "Despite your mistake, you did great today, Faye. Your skill is improving with each match we have. Someday you might even best me...keep up the good work, eh?"   
            "I've still much to learn before I even come close to your caliber, Edgar." Faye held up her sword, waiting for Edgar to cross his with hers in their traditional symbol of comraderie and friendship, "Thank you for the lessons, they are always appreciated." Faye paused a moment before continuing. She seemed to be dwelling on something quite seriously, "We...we'll win today's battle, won't we Edgar?"   
            "Yes. I believe we will." Edgar handed Faye his long sword, "I'm sorry to cut things short this morning, but I have much to attend to before we leave for Esthar. Would you mind picking things up for me?" Faye nodded, and Edgar left. Faye stood there a moment, tapping her foot on the stone floor.   
            "Hello Sabin. Caught the tail end of it again, didn't you?" She asked after a while. Sabin entered the room.   
            "Yeah, I did. From what I hear, you fought very well this morning."   
            "Not well enough. I still haven't beaten him; that'll never happen." Faye mounted the long swords in their placeholders on the far wall.   
            "Never say never, my dear. Chin up. Edgar's the best swordsman in the world, very few come close to his skill level with the blade and even less can stand up to him in a match as long as you. Give it time, you'll beat him someday. I'm always rooting for you." Sabin smiled warmly, understanding her frustration. It wasn't easy being one of Edgar's pupils.   
            "Really? That's some high praise, Sabin; thank you." Faye gazed reflectively at the sunrise struggling to awaken, "Today...today will decide everything, won't it? Whether the worlds go back to normal or face a fate far worse than ever imagined, whether we win or lose, whether I'm...able to stay with Seifer or not..." Faye's lip quivered a moment before she broke down. She placed her hands over her face, smothering her sobs, "I love him, Sabin! I can't lose him! That man in Esthar _must_ have something that will help, he has to..." Faye soon found herself in Sabin's arms. He hugged her as a brother would a sister.   
            '_He really does mean something to her. Its settled then._' Sabin looked down at her, feeling anew the bond they formed long ago, "I'm sure there's a solution for you out there, and I'll do whatever it takes to keep you happy, Faye. I promise. It's the least I can do for a friend like you." He let Faye go, watching as her mood brightened a notch, "I'd do anything for you, Faye. I care too much to see you get hurt ever again."   
            "Thank you." 

            Balamb Garden was very silent that early in the morning. Few members of SeeD woke up before sunrise, and even fewer were to embark on such an important mission. The only ones awake were those that had spent the greater part of the night before in a meeting. Squall and his teammates were just finishing up the final preparations on the Ragnarok when the sun rose. Everything was in perfect order, and the last thing to do before leaving for Esthar was for Seifer to go over and meet with Faye. Since both airships were parked beside each other, Seifer needed only to go over to the Falcon where Faye stood with Sabin and Edgar on its deck. They were standing in front of the ladderway that led to the airships interior. Everyone else was inside the airship. Edgar and Faye greeted Seifer onto the Falcon warmly, while Sabin simply nodded. Seifer gave Faye a quick kiss when he got close enough.   
            "Good morning everyone!" Seifer held onto Faye's hand as he spoke, "We're all ready to go on our end, just say the word and we're off. I can't wait to get this all over with; I owe those bastards bigtime." Seifer clenched his free hand into a tight fist, a menacing smile creeping onto his face.   
            "I know. I think we all owe them in one way or another. We'll finish them off for good, this time." Edgar looked over to Sabin, giving him a chance to contribute to the conversation. Sabin said nothing. Edgar, exasperated, folded his arms across his chest.   
            "Definitely. Nothing is going to stop us from defending our worlds. I won't let them get away with what they did. Terra, Relm, all of our them, gone because of The Fanatics." Faye shook her head; she was as ready as any one of them, "As for the airships, we'll fly them abreast of one another, I think that'll be best for a complimentary defense."   
            "Good thinking, Faye. I'm sure you'll do a great job flying the ship today. Give 'em hell!" Sabin flashed Faye a quick thumbs up before delving back into his silence.   
            "I'll pass that onto Selphie; she'll be piloting the Ragnarok. I'm sure she'll agree with your strategy." Seifer released Faye's hand somewhat reluctantly. He didn't want to leave the Falcon, but he couldn't afford to disobey more orders and risk being kicked out of SeeD. "See you all in a few hours, have a safe trip." Seifer climbed down the rope ladder leading to the ground below and headed towards the Ragnarok. There would be no contact between either airship during the trips as the Falcon possessed no radio communications system and there had been no time to install one. Faye stood in front of the steering shaft and gripped the wheel. She was experienced in piloting the Falcon, but no where near as skilled as Setzer. As her father was busy finishing up some minor repairs in the zeppelin's interior, Faye was left as the only pilot. She flicked a few buttons on the console in front of her and the propellors roared to life, lifting the airship off of the ground. Looking to her right, she saw that the Ragnarok was doing the same. She adjusted the altitude until she was satisfied with their height, taking special care to remain within a safe distance to their allies. Both airships jerked forward simultaneously and started their three hour long trip to Esthar. They remained just under the cloud cover, an easy way to avoid most structures, mountain tops, and anything else that might damage the airship if they flew into it. Clouds flew by as the airships soared through the skies. Underneath the Falcon's belly lie the ocean, stirred about by strong gusts of wind. They were flying the quickest rout to Esthar, but took special care to avoid the Fanatics Tower for the time being. Tensions were beginning to run high, for something malevolent was in the air. Sabin voiced this to his brother.   
            "Edgar, something's not right today. I...I have a feeling that everything is not as it seems." Sabin looked around the airship, making sure that everything was all right. Satisfied for the time being, he turned back to Edgar, "What do you think?"   
            "I agree, Sabin. It's too late to turn back now, though. We'll just have to press on and do what we always do in uncertain times." Edgar subconsciously patted the hilt of his sword.   
            "Oh? What's that?"   
            "Survive."   
            "Indeed." Sabin watched as ocean wave after ocean wave passed beneath the Falcon. The sea was dangerously exited as if some external force were amplifying its raw power. Periodically, Faye checked right and left of the airship, keeping an eye on both the Ragnarok and the surroundings. Everything seemed in perfect order. Faye called over her shoulder to the twin monarchs.   
            "Hey guys, when we get to the tower later on, how far away do you want me to land the ship?" Faye gingerly reached out and adjusted the height control lever. Short gusts of wind occasionally buffeted the Falcon hard enough to knock it slightly off course.   
            "We were thinking of landing the airships a short distance away. The tower is impregnable from the air and any attempts to land people into the tower from the sky would be quite hazardous. It would leave all of us too vulnerable to attack." Edgar felt himself growing quite antsy, his feeling of urgency increased exponentially with each passing second.   
            "We'll have to work our way up through the tower. With the thirteen of us, everything should go as smoothly as the curves on my biceps." Sabin was scanning the horizon, ever alert. He spent a few moments looking at each side of the airship, careful to scrutinize every passing detail, '_I don't want to be surprised; I'm going to make sure I know everything that'll happen _before _ it happens..._"   
            "All right, I know a perfect spot to land." Faye skillfully guided the airship through air currents in the sky. Suddenly, without warning or provocation, the airship shook with such force that it took everything Faye had to keep herself from being bucked from the steering wheel. Unfortunately, she was dragged to the right, causing the airship to veer wildly off course. Faye was able to get everything under control moments before crashing into the Ragnarok.   
            "Damn! What the hell was that?!" Faye yelled, startled by such a turbulent moment.   
            "I have no idea! I know for sure that came from our left...it had to be." Sabin omitted the fact that he had been looking the other way when it happened, '_Best not to upset them with unimportant details..._' All was quiet with the exception of the airships' whirring engines. Sabin focused sight, smell, and sound in his search to determine the exact cause of the disturbance. Just as something broke through the cloud cover, Sabin's gaze crossed that exact spot and caught sight of a crimson, scaly mass; Malachi. Sabin had no time to warn the others before the airship was buffeted by what he guessed to be a second wing buffet. This one was more powerful than the last and almost blew Sabin off his feet. The muscular monarch anchored himself to a solid surface and had just enough time to catch Edgar before he blew away. Placing Edgar behind him, Sabin warned,   
            "Watch out for the ladder, Edgar..." Sabin held on tightly; Malachi was continuously beating down on the Falcon with burst after wind burst. Sabin took a moment to see how Faye was doing and, to his dismay, saw that she was barely able to hold on. Faye was desperately fumbling for the height control lever to try and drop them underneath the dragon. More wind struck the ship and finally Faye was forced to let go of her lifeline. As she flew away from her post, she frantically grasped at the controls in an attempt to halt her sudden flight. She managed to get a grip on the height control knob, but lost it just as quickly, pulling it downwards. The airship lurched towards the sky just as Faye cleared the side railing. Edgar, who had been teetering precariously on the edge of the ladderway, lost his footing and fell down to the lower decks.   
            "FAYE!!!!!!!! NO!" Sabin called after his friend; there was nothing he could do as he lost sight of her.   
            Faye easily cleared the distance between the two airships and flew headlong into the Ragnarok's hard metallic hull. It took Faye a moment to regain her senses and realize that she had a few short seconds to find a handhold before plummeting to her death. 

            The mighty Falcon soared higher and higher into the air with no one to control it. Soon, it would reach an altitude unable to support the passengers aboard. Sabin was putting all his strength into a climb up the suddenly very steep deck to get to the controls. Sabin yelled at his brother, praying Edgar was not unconscious from his fall.   
            "Edgar!!! Go get Setzer!!!" Sabin crawled and crawled, nearly pulled down by gravity more than once. It was becoming more and more difficult to breath as they climbed higher.   
            "...ungh...working on it..." Edgar croaked from the bottom of the ladderway. Sabin finally made it to the controls and managed to stand up.   
            '_Damn...its been way too long since I piloted this thing. Here's hoping my memory serves me well!_' Sabin grabbed the handle that he saw Faye pull before catapulting away. He flipped the lever upwards, forcing the airship to veer downwards, '_That son of a bitch dragon had better not be following us right now..._' When the airship reached a safe altitude, Sabin leveled it off, resuming a normal flight pattern. Setzer finally made his way to Sabin's side, out of breath. The first words out of his mouth formed a question.   
            "Where's my daughter?"   
            "I'm sorry, Setzer. There was nothing I could do...Malachi caught us off guard and knocked...knocked her off the ship. I don't know where she is right now." Sabin quieted himself and silently relinquished the controls to his comrade, not daring to see the anguished look he knew to be on Setzer's face.   
            "No, not her too..." Setzer whispered to the cruel wind. Behind them, a raging force was approaching in the form of a vengeful dragon. Malachi was almost ready to breathe dragonfire upon them. 

            At that exact moment in time, on the Ragnarok, tempers were flaring. Everyone aboard had just witnessed Faye go hurtling through the air in their direction. Seifer was yelling angrily at everyone, asking them if they caught a glimpse of Faye; he had lost sight of her himself. Everyone nodded their head sideways as if to say "We're sorry..." Selphie was slowly navigating the Ragnarok, carefully trying to bring it behind Malachi with the intent of shooting out his wings. Luckily, the dragon was so intent on the Falcon that it hardly noticed the sleek airship creeping up behind it. Seifer was raging, he punched the airships interior so hard that his fist smarted for some time after impact. A fleeting thought passed through his head.   
            '_If she flew towards us, what are the odds that she landed on our hull and managed to keep a grip..?_" Seifer took a moment to calm down enough to voice this thought. Squall calculated a rough estimate as to where Faye might have landed. When he was done, he asked.   
            "Selphie, turn on the rear left camera on the hull..." He wanted to test both his and Seifer's theories, '_Imagine that, the two of us working together..._' As the young feminine pilot complied, a small monitor flickered to life and was filled with the shiny metallic red hull of their ship. In the midst of that sea of color was a small figure clinging for dear life to the Ragnarok's sleek hull. Seifer leaned close to the monitor and stared at it intently.   
            "That's near the rear exit hatch, isn't it?" He queried of everyone. Selphie, in the middle of maneuvering the ship, grunted agreement.   
            "Excellent. There should be some exterior handles around there that I can use..." Seifer did a quick 180 on his heels, grabbed Quistis by the arm and proceeded to storm through the airship.   
            "Come on Quistis, you're helping me to rescue her." Seifer and his dumbfounded partner sped down the elevator and through the passageways of the airship as quickly as they could. Behind them, they could faintly hear Irvine and Zell wishing them luck. Time was of the essence and both of them knew how little of it they had.   
            '_Come on Faye! I'm almost there, just hang on a little longer!!!_' They arrived at the exit hatch so quickly that Seifer could scarcely believe it. "I hope she's all right." As they cranked the hatch open Quistis couldn't hold back the question that she had been tossing about in her mind since they left the cockpit.   
            "Why is it you need me here?" Seifer poked his head outside once the door was fully opened. Wind slapped his hair and face so hard that he was forced to squint. Through slits in his eyes, Seifer saw his ray of hope. Faye hadn't slipped off yet; he could still save her.   
            '_I'm NOT losing her! Nothing can stop me, not even Fate!_' He pulled his head back into the airship and answered Quistis, "Because. When I saw where she was, I realized that you were the only one skilled enough to anchor anything to a repair handle under such velocities. Use your whip to get a grip on the one that's above Faye and I'll swing over and puck her off of the hull." Smirking, Seifer added, "...I'm not the dumb oaf people think I am..." He gently nudged Quistis towards the open doorway.   
            "I'll see what I can do, Seifer. The strong winds coupled with Selphie's driving will make things difficult..." Quistis readied her whip in her right hand as she stuck half her torso out the door, careful to keep a steady balance. If she slipped and fell, this would be the shortest rescue in their world's history. She aimed at the handle Seifer had spoke of, but missed on her first try. The winds were quite strong despite Selphie having reduced their speed. Coiling her weapon up, Quistis tried again and succeeded. Tugging to make sure it was securely attached, she passed the whip to Seifer.   
            "Good luck." She said. Seifer gripped the whip tightly in his right hand, wrapping a short length around it. Despite Quistis' assurances that the whip was secure, Seifer tugged at it, making sure that it could support _his_ weight. Then,without further thought or preparation, he leaped into the great beyond. Wind slapped him around, tugging him off course without any difficulty. He tried in vain to steer himself in Faye's direction, but found he flew too wide. A sudden change in direction for the airship nearly caused Seifer to lose his grip and forced him to hold on with both hands. He soon found himself back at the hatch with nothing but sore hands to show for his efforts. Cursing his misfortune, Seifer tried again, this time using his left hand to guide him along the airship's hull as he flew towards Faye. Again, he got blown off course, but Seifer was able to recover much more quickly than the last time. As he began heading towards the hatch again, Seifer quickly switched hands and used his right as the guide, forcing himself to face the way he came. Looking at Faye, Seifer saw that she was quickly losing her grip. The strain of holding onto such a precarious life line was taking its toll on her. Her delicate fingers began to slip, one by one until nothing was keeping her up. For a few milliseconds, Faye grasped nothing but air, her life flashing before her eyes. Then, a strong, muscular hand gripped her own in a death grip. Looking up, Faye saw her savior. They held onto each other as they swung into the safety of the Ragnarok's interior. Seifer never let her go, even as he passed Quistis her weapon. With a few sharp tugs, she pulled the whip free of the maintenance handle and closed the hatch.   
            "Thank you for saving me...again." Faye was ghostly pale as she spoke, the color slowly returning to her skin. She smiled shyly at both Seifer and Quistis, grateful for their timely rescue. She felt quite embarrassed about being saved so many times. Seifer held her in his arms and looked over at Quistis. He said nothing, but his look gave Quistis more thanks than he could have ever possibly put together in words. Just as Quistis was about tell them it was no problem, Irvine's voice came over the intercom.   
            "Now that Faye is safe and sound, why don't you saunter yerselves up to the cockpit. My baby's gonna blow the hell out of our dragon friend here and I figured none of you would want to miss the show." A pause, faint static crackling across the line, "Oh, and if you're wondering how I knew you were inside, its because I was watching the monitor and keeping a very keen eye on two lovely ladi---OW! Hey, Selphie! Stop! Ack!" The communication ceased abruptly, Irvine terminating the line before everyone heard the rest of his yelping. Without further ado, the three young adults made their way to the Ragnarok's cockpit. 

            By the time the three of them arrived, Selphie had already plugged a few rounds of fire into Malachi. It was bleeding profusely from its haunches and its wings were full of holes. It seemed nonplused. Even with all its wounds, the great wyrm continued to harass the Falcon. Its attacks were weak, almost as if it were conserving its energy for one large strike. Had it not been for Setzer's amazing piloting, even those attacks would have reduced the aging airship to rubble. Zell, watching the viewport intently, found it odd that the dragon didn't turn on them for being fired upon. He thought about it while Selphie laced the leviathan's backside with more lead. Coming up with nothing on his own, he turned to his comrades.   
            "Guys. Don't you find it strange that it hasn't attacked us yet? I mean, we've pummeled it with so much firepower..." He looked as perplexed as everyone else after listening to him, everyone but Seifer.   
            "You're missing something, dumbass. If you had paid attention to your studies, you would know that ruby dragons are extremely vain and believe themselves to be the best of the best. Those things are extremely resilient to traditional firepower, and it requires a lot to take them down. I'd wager we've barely hurt it. I think its merely stalling, Zell. Why? Its biding its time until it can spew fire; it takes dragons a while to charge it up during combat." Seifer paused a moment, letting everyone absorb that bit of information before continuing. He ignored Zell's comment that ruby dragons weren't the only vain creatures."When it breathes, and it will, I doubt even Faye's father will be able to veer out of the way in time." Faye inched closer to Seifer. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and stared out the main window, "As soon as it roasts the Falcon, it will be able to fry us almost immediately. It won't take much of its strength to do away with either airship. We have to blow it to Hell NOW!"   
            "Gotcha Seif! One dead drrraagon coming up!" Selphie squealed excitedly, flipping the security hat on one of the control panel's various buttons. Simultaneously, Malachi's entire body shuddered as he prepared his fire breath. Time was running out as Selphie pressed the button, anxiously waiting for the twin missiles to launch. Then, to her horror, a single word appeared on the monitor to her right. The word blinked in and out of existence as if going in time with their death knoll.   
            "Error..." Whispered Selphie. Looking forward, she saw that Malachi was ready and about to make crispy critters of the Falcon and its passengers. She had only a few seconds to reset the missile launchers and try again. 

End of Chapter 1

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	7. Part 3 - Chapter 2

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART 3**

Chapter 2

            Meanwhile, on the Falcon, Sabin was keeping a close eye on both Malachi and the Ragnarok. He knew what his allies were up to, but had his doubts they would be able to help in time. He swore softly.   
            '_That bastard dragon is keeping out of range of all my blitz attacks. I can't risk casting any magic...I'm too rusty and odds are I stand a good chance of hitting the Ragnarok. Damnit! If only he were a bit closer...then I'd pummel the shit out of him..._' Sabin looked over his shoulder. His brother was standing beside Setzer, helping the pilot in any way he could. Setzer was naturally at the helm, trying desperately to get away from the dragon with no luck. Sabin studied the scene intently, something telling him he was missing something quite important. Then, as if some long forgotten and dusty gear began turning in his head, a wild thought occurred to him, '_I might not be able to hit it, but Edgar could! He has the autocrossbow with him!_' Sabin didn't care to think about how much the crossbow would have hurt to land on when his brother had fallen down the ladderway. He called Edgar over and told his brother of his plan. Edgar grinned, a grim smile spreading across his face. He reached over his shoulder and unhooked the Autocrossbow from its harness. Shouts from below deck told them that Cyan and the others were being kept occupied with keeping everything together in the engine room. The high speed chase was doing a number on the Falcon's engine.   
            "Hopefully Setzer can keep this thing steady as I aim.' Edgar braced himself against the railing, taking special care to aim for Malachi's head. '_One shot should do it...one shot is all it'll take to avenge Faye..._' He let loose with a volley of bolts. Most of the shots flew wild, knocked about by the wind, but one made its mark just as the dragon was opening its maw to breathe. The bolt lodged itself in the dragon's throat, forcing it to choke and swallow its own fire. Then, two missiles impacted with Malachi's hide, exploding upon impact. Malachi was engulfed in an inferno of such intensity that nothing could have survived. Sabin stared incredulously at the carnage, amazed that the tactic had worked. With Edgar's crossbow bolt, they had bought the Ragnarok enough time to bring out the 'big guns'.   
            "No way..." He whispered. Out of the billowing fire came the Ragnarok, missile chutes smoking. He waved to whomever was behind the main window, sunlight blocking his view of the cockpit. Sabin turned away and faced the opposite direction. Edgar turned alongside him. The twin brothers stared ahead, neither saying a word. Both knew what the other was thinking. Setzer slowly brought the airship to a stop and began descending it towards the ground. Looking around, the brothers realized that the chase had driven them to Esthar much sooner than they had anticipated. Edgar closed his eyes in reflection,   
            '_How do we tell them that part of the reason we came to this place is now gone?_' He thought. 

            Noon was looming around the corner as both airships simultaneously touched ground. Dirt was strewn about by the strong currents formed during the descent. As soon as the Falcon's engines came to a halt, a rope ladder was tossed over the side. Edgar somberly looked over at the Ragnarok for a moment before facing Setzer. The middle-aged man looked stricken. Not only had Setzer lost his daughter, he lost her much in the same way he had lost Daryl; an airship accident. Setzer spoke, his voice barely rising above a whisper.   
            "Faye's gone...just like her mother. They've left me alone..." Suddenly, his whole body shook with a fury he could not contain. He lashed out at the side railing, hitting his fist against it with all his strength. "I'll kill the bastards responsible for this!!!" He shook for a couple more minutes before trying to calm down. Sabin and Edgar kept a respectful silence, mourning their loss in a more silent manner. They, too, swore oaths to take revenge. Whoever responsible for this atrocity was going to pay dearly. Clicks and other similar noises could be heard as Locke, Cyan, and Gau climbed up the ladder to the Falcon's main deck. They didn't know what had happened on board until they saw the look on everyone's faces and that Faye was missing. They were all at a loss for words.   
            "I...I'm sorry Setzer." Locke muttered. Setzer didn't answer, he was already climbing over the railing. He secured himself on the rope ladder before finally replying,   
            "I'm going to go tell Seifer what happened. As soon as I get back, we're heading straight for the Tower and ending it all." He climbed down the long ladder without waiting for anyone to answer. He took each rung at a slow pace. Setzer could feel the tears well up in his eyes and finally let them flow freely. He could barely see by the time his feet touched the soft grass of the earth. His feet felt leaden as he trudged his way towards the gleaming red mass that was the Ragnarok. The exit hatch opened as he approached, allowing access to the inside. Setzer covered the distance between the two massive hulks, walking as slowly as if he were an animated corpse. Squall stepped into the daylight, followed by Zell, Irvine, Quistis, Selphie, Seifer and...Faye?! Setzer stopped abruptly, clearing his vision. He looked again, making sure that what he saw was real and not a figment of his imagination. Faye had seen her father right away and was already running to him. He ran to greet her and they met in a beautifully tender reunion mixed with tears and cries of joy.   
            "Oh my precious little girl...I thought I had lost you too..." He hadn't held her like this since she was a little girl needing of his protection, "How did you...?" She smiled up at him, a twinkle in the depths of her eyes.   
            "Call it a good run of luck that I landed on the Ragnarok..." Her smile faded as abruptly as it had arrived, replaced by a deep sadness, "I was so scared, father. For a while...I believed I'd be joining mother up in Heaven..." After a quiet moment, they were joined by the rest of their friends from both the Falcon and the Ragnarok. Once everyone was together, and after all of the Falcon's crew expressed their gratitude for Faye's rescue, they decided who would make the short walk into Esthar. They had landed just outside the city and it was all a matter of walking inside. Edgar, Faye, Seifer, Setzer, and Squall soon found themselves surrounded by the awesome brilliance that was the technological hub of the planet. 

            When first laying eyes upon Esthar, Faye had described it as breathtaking and overwhelming to the senses. That description was a mere shadow of Esthar's true glory, as she found first hand while traveling through the massive cityscape. The five of them were seated upon a levitating platform that flew them from one end of Esthar to the other in a surprisingly short time. All around them, buildings loomed high, a credit to their designers. Shades of blue and gold adorned each of the massive structures and their surrounding pathways. In the middle of all this splendor stood the Presidential Tower. No matter where they were in the city, Faye and the others always found that their gaze wandered to the attention demanding tower. Esthar had a life and a luster all its own; few other cities came close to its magnificent beauty and none were its equal. Faye, anxious and at the same time excited, turned in her seat and spoke to everyone,   
            "It's a pity we had to come here under such circumstances...I can only hope to come here again and take a proper tour..." She spoke wistfully, knowing that there stood a chance of her never seeing this wonderful place again. Seifer, who had been holding her hand all this time, squeezed it gently.   
            "I promise, I'll take you someday." All of them were anxious for their meeting with Dr. Odine even with the knowledge that Squall had radioed Esthar that morning with warning of their impending arrival. Despite being given all the preparation in the world, there was always the chance that nothing could be done. Still, they clung to hope. With an almost silent 'whiirrr' their transportation came to a slow halt just in front of Dr. Odine's laboratory. They stepped off, glad to be back on their feet again. They walked inside the building and nearly felt an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia; the small laboratory was in sharp contrast to the large expanse of the open city. Overcoming that, they noticed that inside the reception area stood a rather odd and disturbing-looking circus clown. His face was unadorned with makeup, and his hair was tied up in a tight (and feminine looking) bun. A large fanned circle covered his neck furthering the look of an entertainer. The man's outfit was so outlandish that Faye, Edgar, and Setzer all did a double take when he introduced himself as the man they were scheduled to meet; Dr. Odine. After the introductions were all said and done, the enigmatic, not to mention eccentric, scientist then led them to his workshop. Monitors and control panels lined three walls of the expansive room while the fourth was covered with a huge window that looked like it was designed to allow visual access to a sight of monolithic proportions. Everything in the room seemed as ageless as the rest of Esthar. Standing in front of the window were two unmarked wooden crates. Save for a sloppily drawn arrow and the words 'This side up' nothing marred the smooth surface of the boxes. Dr. Odine motioned for everyone to stand in front of the door as he walked up to the two identically sized crates. Placing a hand on the one closest to him, Dr. Odine began,   
            "Before I explain vat these boxes contain, I vill give you an in-depth explanation on our current situation. *Ahem* Now...venever a person is brought into exiztence, zey are 'linked' to zeir world of birth; zeir lifeforce, zeir essence, iz derived from zee vorld and iz therefore a part of it. No matter vhere you travel, or vhere you die, your spirit is still connected to your home and vill return to it ven you cease to exist. Ven ze two planets merged, so were ze essences and spirits of all zee people from these vorlds. Ven zey separate, zee spirits vill be forced to go back vit their vorlds. Such is zee case vit Seifer and Faye; you both vill go back vit your planets. There iz no vay around zat; becauze you came here vit your planet, you vill leave vit your planet." Dr. Odine looked from face to face, gauging their reactions. He let them have enough time to absorb this before continuing. During the brief pause, Seifer gripped Faye's hand ever tighter; things weren't going as well as they had hoped. "Zee only solution is to travel from one planet to zee other _after_ zee separation. Eet iz impossible to tell where zee planets lie in space in relation to one another; zat completely rules out space travel. Zee only option left to us, in zis case, lies in these boxes." Dr. Odine patted the nearest box gently, "These are called vaypoints. They are devices which allow instantenous travel from one location to another no matter ze distance between zem. I have two vaypoints and zey must each be installed in a place zat vill return wit its vorld. I suggest one should go in Balamb Garden while zee other in zee Castle of zee good King here. But zat is only my opinion..." He held up his right hand to silence the questions that were forthcoming, "Before you ask, I am afraid that zese vaypoints were quite expensive to construct and zat I must ask you to donate some money to cover the expenses of making them." Before anyone could say anything, Setzer stepped forward and addressed their benefactor.   
            "I'll pay whatever price you name. I don't care how much it costs or how expensive it is...nothing is too much for my daughter's happiness..."   
            "I'll help, Setzer. It's the least I can do." Edgar placed a gentle but firm hand on his friend's shoulder. '_I'll be damned if I'll let him front the whole bill. Faye means the world to me and I won't see her dreams destroyed just because some fruitcake is a cheapskate._' Dr. Odine led Setzer and Edgar to the back room where the $1,500,000 Gil would be exchanged for the special keys needed to activate the waypoints. While the transaction took place Faye, Seifer, and Squall talked amongst themselves.   
            "I feel like I owe you a debt of gratitude, Squall. If you hadn't of talked to Dr. Odine beforehand, we might not have found a solution in time...so...thank you, from the bottom of my heart." Faye extended a hand to Squall, who took it in his own and shook. After the handshake, Squall replied.   
            "You don't owe me anything. I felt it was something that I had to do or I never would have been able to live with myself. Knowing that you two loved each other but couldn't be with each other rang a familiar bell. I went through that once before and I wasn't about to let it happen to someone else..." Looking Seifer in the eye as he spoke, Squall continued, "...I'm glad I could help." With some reluctance, Seifer also shook hands with Squall, muttering an almost unintelligible 'Thanks..' along with it. After all was said and done, they waited patiently for the others to join them. Setzer and Edgar returned with Dr. Odine shortly after. Faye and Seifer each received a key as they unanimously decided that they would take Dr. Odine's suggestion on where to place the waypoints. Seifer and Faye each thanked Dr. Odine for his help and also thanked Setzer and Edgar for covering the cost. As part of the ensemble they were given a push cart to transport the waypoints onto the two airships. Half an hour later, they found themselves traveling once more in pursuit of their adversaries; The Fanatics. They would reach the tower by evening. 

            "My God...we have to fight through that place floor by floor..?" Zell's mouth gaped open as he stared at the gargantuan tower before him and his companions. The Fanatics Tower stood tall, dwarfing the mountainsides surrounding it. The rust colored tower stretched high above them almost touching the bosom of the clouds. Age seemed to have treated it badly, as it was in an extreme state of disrepair. The staircase that had formerly lined one side of the Tower's exterior had long ago rusted away and fallen off. A strong hand clasped Zell's shoulder. He looked to his left and saw that it was Faye, Setzer's daughter.   
            "Just be thankful that we'll actually be able to _fight_..."   
            "Say what now..?" Faye released Zell's arm and stepped around him, getting a good luck at the deciding point for everything.   
            "The first time my father and his comrades went up there the only way they could battle with the enemy was purely by casting magic. Thankfully, times have changed..." Zell paled, imagining what a battle using only magic would be like. By his standards, such a battle would not last long as they would eventually run out of their stocked magic. Zell followed Faye to where the others had gathered. Squall and Edgar had a couple final things they wanted to say before everyone began their arduous task of systematically eliminating all the enemies in the tower floor by floor. Squall spoke first.   
            "As you all know, the fate of both our worlds depends on the outcome of our final battle here. It's all to be decided now. We will come out as the victors; we _must_ for the sake of everyone we know and care for. We simply cannot allow this insane group of people to continue their activities." Squall shifted his weight from one foot to the other in anticipation of the upcoming battles, "I won't ask anyone who feels they cannot complete this mission to join us. It would be unfair of me to do so; anyone wishing to remain behind, please do so now." No one made a move to accept his offer. All thirteen people present were ready and willing to do what they knew was necessary to preserve the sanctity of their homes. Having always preferred keeping his speeches short, Squall motioned for Edgar to continue. Edgar, decked out in his battle armor, addressed the group. His two weapons seemed to gleam despite the overcast sky. The Atma Weapon and Chainsaw were all at the ready in their scabbards on either hip. It was a wonder in itself that Edgar was able to move, let alone fight, with both weapons at his side.   
            "The key to victory lies in our ability to fight together as a team! If our unity crumbles, so will our chances of victory and survival! We mustn't give the enemy any quarter!" Edgar unsheathed the Atma Weapon. Concentrating his will into it he brought the magnificent blade to life. Raising the five foot long blade into the air, he cried "Onward! TO VICTORY!!"   
            "To victory!!" The others cheered along with him, raising their own weapons in unison. With a confidence and skill that few others possessed, they walked up to the massive doors guarding the entrance. They were solid oak, carved years ago from some of the more ancient trees on the planet. Arcane symbols depicting demonic acts and rituals were carved on every surface of the door. The handles were difficult to find in the elaborate bas relief. Sabin, being the first to reach the door tried to open it and found it an impossible task. Inspecting the handles carefully, he was surprised to see that they were covered in a rust that looked like it had accumulated over many years.   
            '_Mm...so the buggers sealed this door magically..._' Deciding that it would be too much trouble to find some Rust Rid or another entrance, Sabin tested his strength against the doors. They gave a little, but not enough for Sabin to do much with them. Growing increasingly annoyed, Sabin called Zell over to help.   
            "Hey Zell, think you can give me a hand? Here's what I wanna do..." 

            Behind the solid doors a grouping of the Fanatics stood in waiting for the enemy they knew to be lurking from without. Their orders had been as plain and simple as could be; they were to hold off and stall the enemy for as long as they could to allow their brethren more time to prepare themselves. All of the men and women present knew that their job could be summed into one word; fodder. Their skills were only just developing as they were merely novice magic users and poor fighters. Thus it was that they only received a meager description of the oncoming force.   
            "Aura Bolt!!!!" A voice from outside resounded throughout the large hall.   
            "Burning Rave!!" Another voice, somewhat younger than the one before it, was accompanied by a sudden and rather severe impact against their only protection from the dangers outside. They were caught completely off guard when the door to their sanctuary flew inwards and crushed a few of their number. The solid wooden door was charred and smoldering when it hit the ground, a pale comparison to the utterly smoky doorway. Nothing could be seen through the thick smog and they could only guess as to how many foes they actually faced. Hazy figures started to emerge from the smoke and they soon formed into easily visible adversaries as Sabin and Zell slowly walked through their path of destruction. Behind them followed the rest of the group, all with their weapons drawn. In the rear of the group, Selphie and Quistis halted their advance and began chanting arcane spells designed to reflect any magic attack back at its caster and absorb damage. This would effectively stop most of the Fanatics magical advantage over their party. Unfortunately, all the more powerful spells like Ultima or Merton could easily blow right through the simple protective barrier. The fighters from both the Falcon and the Ragnarok entered into the fray and easily eliminated the first line of Fanatics without any resistance. Low level elemental and ailment-inflicting spells were flung at the heroes from behind enemy lines only to be met with much more powerful spells and far superior fighting techniques. The enemy line quickly crumbled as their numbers grew fewer and fewer with each passing minute. Although it felt like they had been fighting for hours, mere minutes had passed by since the beginning of the first battle to the end. Enemy corpses were strewn everywhere across the room and what few of them still lived were on the verge of death. With the heat of this one battle subsiding, they were finally able to get a good look at the basic layout of the room. They were now opposite to the end from which they entered. Just in front of them stood a spiraling staircase. Inching towards it and looking upwards ever so stealthily Locke discovered that the stairs only went up one level.   
            '_Odds are that on the next floor the staircase will be on the opposite side of the Tower. Just our luck...what a pain in the ass._' They moved on without any further hesitation, eliminating a quarter of the Tower's floors with similar lack difficulty. This sequence of easy battles only served to add to their surprise when they encountered a grouping of five huge Malboros on the sixteenth floor. Edgar remembered all to well how disgusting these creatures were; short tubular tentacles spread out from on obese mass in all directions. A huge, gaping maw sat in what could only be termed as the 'face' of the Malboros, jagged teeth snapping in anticipation of a meal. A hissing sound that sounded much like laughter erupted from their putrid mouths. Everyone knew the danger and folly of fighting five of these creatures alone thus they prepared to attack as one massive unit. They were all about to rush into the attack when Edgar abruptly stepped ahead of everyone and sheathed the Atma Weapon. He held out a hand, a sign speaking his wish for solo combat.   
            "These revolting mutants are mine and mine alone. A little revenge if you will...never again will their fetid breath cause harm to my comrades!!"   
            "Edgar! That's crazy, you'll be killed!!" Irvine protested. He would have made a move to stop Edgar had it not been for a stern look from Sabin. The martial-artist knew that Edgar was in full control of his senses and would respect his brother's desire to fight alone. Sabin would be ready to help Edgar when, and if, he needed to.   
            "Don't worry about him. I know he went on and on about that unity stuff, but Edgar's got a special method on how to eliminate these monstrosities quickly and efficiently. We'd only get in his way if we tried to help. Just be ready to act if something goes wrong." Not entirely convinced, Irvine leveled his Exeter Shotgun just in case. Edgar threw a glance over his shoulder to make sure no one was crazy enough to follow him. He then removed his Chainsaw from the left-hand scabbard. Pulling it out, he tugged on the pull-cord and the weapon let loose with a satisfying roar of life. "Please...wait here. I'll only be a few minutes." Without further ado, Edgar ran into the first of his adversaries. The Chainsaw ripped through its foliage, cutting through stalk after stalk of plant tissues. The Malboro he faced was unable to fight back, paralyzed with agony as it was. As Edgar butchered the creature, one of its allies sank its teeth into Edgar's right arm. He was forced to let go of the Chainsaw with that particular appendage; only his left arm kept a grip on the weapon of destruction. Pain lanced through his body, but Edgar paid it no attention. Despite the effort it took, Edgar managed to finish his slice through the first Malboro and brought the weapon upon the one feasting on his flesh. Edgar caught it right in its brain, ending its miserable life then and there. Ichor splashed the King as it sprayed from wounds on both creatures.   
            "Two down...three more to go." The other three having stayed behind earlier, confident that two of their brethren would be enough to contend with the human, slithered forward. The Malboro in the forefront opened its jagged maw and spewed out a thick olive-green cloud. It's putrid smell was almost enough to overwhelm Edgar's senses as it enveloped him. He was unable to suppress a chuckle (in the midst of gagging) as he leaped out of the cloud unaffected by the ailment inflicting spores. He had his Chainsaw raised high in the air as he landed in between the three beasts and disappeared from view. The only sounds his allies could hear were the whine of the chainsaw in chorus with the Malboro's ghastly screams of pain. As Edgar fought with the unholy combination of plant and beast, ichor and other such life fluids spilt on the floor belonging to monster and human alike. With a final death throw, the last of the Malboro's fell to the ground leaving Edgar victorious over his enemy's corpses. He had a grin from ear to ear despite the multitude of wounds covering his body. He motioned for the others to join him.   
            "Oh yeah! Who's the man?!" Edgar cleaned off the chainsaw's blade, resheathed it, and started to cast a few healing spells. "Bring on the women-err..*Cough* I mean..." Sabin, just arriving by his brother's side, shook his head as he looked over the carnage.   
            '_Some things never change...heh. We're in the midst of an important quest and he's still trying to pick up women..._' Deciding to conserve most of his casting energy, Edgar allowed Locke to finish off the healing with a few high-level cure spells to bring him back to full vitality. They waited only long enough for Edgar to be healed before they departed up the next set of stairs. Their complimentary fighting styles worked so efficiently and effectively that the groups from two different worlds seemed as one and found themselves on the second last floor much sooner than they had originally hoped. They had gone through countless members of the Fanatics along with their minions. Unless they had an endless supply of allies, the Fanatics were more than likely whittled down to a handful remaining. Everyone was in good condition and ready to go through the entire height of the tower once again if need be by the time they stepped into the barren room. Unlike all the floors beneath it, this one was strangely quiet and devoid of any life save themselves. Knowing better than to just waltz into the obvious trap without their wits about them, they split into two roughly even groups. One group would advance while the other watched its back. The first group, being the largest of the two, stepped further into the room and slowly made their way to the center. Once they arrived, they fanned out and covered a large expanse of the room while waiting for the others to join them. Faye, who was with the first group, took in everything that went around her. She looked this way and that, searching for any indication of a surprise attack or imminent trap. Her training and gut instincts told her that something was going to happen soon and she wanted to be the first to know about it. As luck would have it Faye, as she was watching the others begin to narrow the distance between them, noticed an ethereal wisp of smoke coil above the second group. Recognizing that from her studies, she knew it to be the telltale sign of invisible specters about to cast magic. She yelled out the first name she could think of,   
            "Locke!!! Above you!" She was just in time. The moment he heard Faye yell her warning, Locke looked up and saw the descending cloud of death that was the Condemned spell. Locke managed to cast a Shell spell to deflect the death-dealing incantation. Realizing that their spell had failed, the specters materialized and attacked Locke's group in physical force. Simultaneously, the room was filled with the cacophony of metal grinding against metal as both doors were forced closed from an external source. Locke, realizing that if the other group came to aid his they would all be trapped, made a split-second decision.   
            "_EDGAR!!! Take your group and get the hell outta here before its too late!! We'll hold them off.._!" Locke strode to keep himself between the ghastly phantasms and his allies. He didn't hear any response from Edgar and prayed that his old friend had heard him. '_If they don't go, we'll get stuck in here while whoever's in charge of this misfit operation picks us off at their leisure..._' Fighting with a vigor he hadn't felt in years, Locke heard both doors slam shut with a resounding BOOM. Unable to break away from the phantasms long enough to look around him, Locke had no clue as to who had been able to get out in time. He only prayed that he and whoever had stayed with him could survive the seemingly endless and ever-increasing rush of ghouls. 

            They stood there, those who had escaped the deathtrap, impassive and unwavering before the Fanatics' leader in a silent stare down. Despite their numbers having been reduced for the time being, their resolve remained intact and firm. Irvine, Selphie, Quistis, Gau, Locke, and Cyan had fallen prey to the ghastly ambush and had been forced into occupying the enemy as the rest of their party made it up to the final level of the tower. Thus far, no sign of them could be seen. This left the remainder without the bulk of their curative and restorative capabilities. Edgar was the only one out of those that remained who had dipped into the white magics. After a long wait, the tyrant stood up and walked down a short flight of stairs that led from a raised dais. He acknowledged the intruders with a curt nod.   
            "I knew you'd eventually make your way up here. Sadly, I can't say the same for your friends; they weren't so fortunate. I suppose I'll have to eliminate them, but not before I thank you for a great service you all unwittingly performed for me 11 years ago. In killing the Magi Master, you provided me with the opportunity to rise up in the ranks and become the leader you see today. It was through this power that I constructed the means of world domination." The man took in a quick, excited breath before continuing. He appeared to be enjoying himself, "I am Pythas, your harbinger of death." He took a sip of the wine he had been nursing for some time, "I think I'll let you have a little fun as a token of my eternal gratitude. CONFU!" Without any further warning, a yellowish haze surrounded everyone.   
            "*cough cough* Don't breathe it in guys! Hold your breath!" Squall called out before holding the air in his lungs. Everyone staggered a moment before regaining their balance and awareness. It looked as though they were all able to keep from inhaling the hallucinogens. All, except one. Edgar was the unfortunate soul to find this out when a blade whisked past his nose. The smoke cleared, shocking Edgar to see Faye coming at him full bore with her longsword drawn. Setzer and Seifer started to step forward with the intent of stopping Faye, but Edgar waved them off.   
            "Back off! You won't stand a chance against her. Let me" Edgar had to pause for a moment to unsheathe the Atma Weapon and parry a blow from Faye, "let me handle this! I'll be all right; I trained her, after all!" Faye came after Edgar with thrust after thrust of her longsword. He himself had trained her and could easily dodge and deflect each and every attack she used, even the ones she had developed on her own. Edgar did his best to defend against her relentless attacks, but found himself forced away from the party. '_The confu spell should wear off shortly_' Edgar made no move to retaliate against Faye's bombardment; he focused on defense. Faye's longsword whizzed at his left ear, giving Edgar only a split second to tilt his head and avoid the side swing. This maneuver left Faye wide open and Edgar, instead of taking the opportunity to finish her off as he would against any other opponent, hesitated. This proved to be a fatal mistake. Edgar had taught and trained Faye in the way of the sword; that served to make her a deadly adversary. She noticed him hesitate and swiftly brought her blade around and sliced at his sword-arm, tearing clothes and flesh alike. Blood sprayed forth from a rather serious wound; the Atma Weapon shrunk in response. That arm was now useless. Edgar gritted his teeth against the pain, his eyes flashing when he realized that Faye was readying herself for another attack. By this time, they had drifted far enough away from their friends that there was no one left to help Edgar when his chest received a similar wound. Edgar, unable to raise his useless arm in defense, could only watch as another blow sank itself deeply in his left leg. Now, very little remained of the sword's blade, as Edgar was almost finished. He backed up against a wall, cursing. During their fight, Pythas had released his minions in an attempt to overwhelm Edgar's comrades. No one could help him; he was left to fend for himself. Nothing could stop Faye from delivering the final blow. The tip of her weapon pierced the tender flesh of his stomach and passed through to the wall, pinning Edgar against it. He closed his eyes against the immense pain. Blood spurted from his mouth when Faye gave her still-embedded sword a vicious twist. Edgar opened his eyes, his face a deceptively calm mask.   
            "Itrained you welltoo well" He dropped the Atma Weapon to the floor, no longer able to keep a grip on it, "I'm" He brought his good hand up in an attempt to reach out to her. Faye, still under the hallucinatory influence of the confu spell, mercilessly removed the sword from Edgar's body and watched as he fell forward like a lifeless carcass. Edgar lay motionless in a pool of blood on the floor, his hand still outstretched and frozen in death. From across the room, a pained howl echoed back and forth. Sabin cried out in rage, tears streaming down his face. Moments before, Sabin had turned around to check on his brother just as Faye struck the killing blow. Fanatic after Fanatic was sent to his death as Sabin barreled his way to where Faye stood over his brother's body.   
            "Edgar! Edgar, oh God NO!! EDGAR!!!!!" Sabin arrived at his brother's side a little too late. Edgar was gone. He knelt down beside Edgar's body and turned the corpse over onto its back. Ascertaining that Edgar was really dead, Sabin cradled his departed brother's head in his arms. Shamelessly, Sabin let the tears flow freely down his cheek. He had just lost the most precious thing in his life, his twin brother. Nothing could ever replace the aching pain he now felt deep within his heart. Vicious sobs wracked his body as Sabin pinwheeled into shock. 

End of Chapter 2

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	8. Part 3 - Chapter 3

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART 3**

Chapter 3

            Setzer fought like a madman, warding off everything from money-filching Ursas to the high powered magic adepts. Occasionally, he sneaked a look up at Pythas on his dais, noting the smugness lacing the evil mastermind's face.   
            '_Damn...these guys don't let up, do they?_' He thought, dodging a fireball that blazed by too close for comfort. Still, he fought. He had long ago lost track of Seifer, Squall and Zell as they had been separated early on in the fight. Setzer prayed they were still alive and fighting. '_I wonder...what angered Sabin so much?_' Setzer reflected upon the furious bellow that Sabin had emitted before he had lost track of him, too. '_Something must have happened to Edgar or Faye, that much I am certain of. The question remaining, however, is what exactly happened?!_' That thought lingered in the back of his head as he sneaked another look in Pythas' direction. To his utter and complete shock, the Fanatics' leader was gone, and Setzer had an awful feeling as to where the vile man presently was. He attempted to break free of the fight; he had to stop Pythas! 

            With an earth shattering shock, Faye snapped back into reality, dropping her longsword to the ground. It felt as though the world was reeling as she struggled to gain her bearings. Standing in front of her was a blurry, shrouded figure. She squinted, trying to put a face to the form. Her still blurry and distorted vision told her that it was Seifer reaching out to her, to console and comfort her. She readily accepted his outstretched hand and fell into his warm embrace.   
            "What happened, Seifer?" Faye blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision and get a look at her love. Her sight remained the same as did Seifer. He held Faye to his body and she remained absolutely still. She heard nothing, felt nothing, saw nothing but him. He brought up a hand and began to gently stroke the side of Faye's face. She smiled sweetly at him. A voice spoke to her, soothed her, told her everything was all right and that they were safe. Soft lips caressed the nape of her neck, and a warm sensation spread through her body. Faye was calm, everything felt like a dream. A harsh voice cut through the haze, shattering it like a rock would a glass mosaic.   
            "Get your filthy hands off my daughter!!!" It was her father. With crystal clarity, all of Faye's sensory functions returned. She knew immediately that she was not in Seifer's arms but in Pythas'. Revolted, she tried to pull away, but he held on tightly with a single arm, thwarting all her attempts at escape. She had neither the room to pull away, nor the space to attack. With his other arm, Pythas caught Setzer by the collar in midair and held him there. With a quick spell, he paralyzed the angered father to the spot.   
            "Nice try, gambler. A sneak attack won't surprise me even while I'm siphoning all my concentration into the illusion spell." Pythas tightened the grip on Setzer's collar, causing him large discomfort. It was gradually becoming harder and harder to breathe. Setzer felt paralyzed; he couldn't even raise his hand full of diamond-edged cards to slash at Pythas.   
            "Damn...you..." Setzer glared at his enemy, fury and hatred blazing in his eyes. He looked over at Faye who was desperately struggling to get away. Setzer knew that Faye was fully aware of what Pythas had just done to her. He saw the look of disgust on her face, the look of vulnerability. She felt violated and rightly so.   
            "For what? For indulging myself? For making her happy if only for a brief moment in time? Shameful, Setzer, that you wouldn't want your precious little girl happy..." Pythas eyed Faye hungrily and gave her a leering smile, a smile that ripped into her and tormented her.   
            "Please...let us go..." Faye whispered so softly that it was hard to hear. Pythas' leer only deepened. Setzer tried to spot anyone nearby that could help, but found that Pythas' and Faye's bodies blocked the only way he could look. A choked sob from behind them cut through Setzer's heart; he recognized the strangled voice as belonging to Sabin. He tried in vain to move his head to see around his nemesis. He could only listen as nearly incomprehensible words floated his way. Pythas remained silent, almost as if this was something he wanted them to hear."I can't believe it, Edgar. I refuse to believe...there's no way!"   
            '_What in God's name..?_' Setzer thought. Something tickled in the back of his mind, something nagged at him. He remembered Sabin's cry of anguish earlier and only then did Setzer realize what had happened. After Faye and Edgar drifted away from everyone, something terrible had happened to _Edgar_. Still, they listened. Sabin was obviously in shock and a tremendous amount of anguish.   
            "You're gone...dead...oh Edgar..." The rest was lost to Setzer, he could no longer listen to his friend's mourning. He knew then and there that Edgar Roni Figaro was dead. He also knew that since life spells were scare on Squall's world and soon to be nonexistant on theirs, it would be almost impossible to bring him back. Setzer bit back the bile in his throat as he growled,   
            "You murdering bastard!" His piercing glare was sharp enough to bring most people to tears. Such was not the case with Pythas. The madman simply laughed and ignored Setzer as he addressed the young woman he still had clutched in his arm.   
            "My, my Faye. What fun we'll have once I kill all of your loved ones. I will strip you down and make you mine in every sense of the word. My delicious Faye..." Pythas deliberately spoke slowly, making sure that Faye heard each and every word he uttered. Faye looked at him, her expression a blend of sorrow and hatred. She finally built up the courage to confront her captor, Edgar's death giving her the drive she so desperately needed.   
            "I will _never_ allow such a thing, especially not to a murderer!!" As she struggled furiously to break free from Pythas' grasp, she found that she could barely hold back the tears. Edgar was gone; her best friend, her mentor, was dead.   
            "But my dear...I'm not the murderer here. You are." Abruptly, Faye ceased her struggles. Setzer's mouth fell open as he looked at his daughter, disbelief playing across both their faces.   
            "WHAT?" Setzer had been about to deny the validity of his nemesis' statement when Pythas flung him backwards. He now had full control of his body again and watched as his flight path flew him over the edge of the fighting and into its midst. As he flew, more than one vile monster attempted to snatch the hapless gambler from the air. To Setzer's relief, none succeeded. He started descending fast and with a jolt that nearly sent Setzer into synaptic shock, a blade pierced the flesh of his left shoulder and went straight through. He stopped after the blade had gone all the way. Blood soaked the left side of his body as it streamed out from his wound.   
            "Holy shit!" The voice belonged to Seifer, and soon the blade was gently pulled out of Setzer's body. Setzer put a hand to his wound to try and staunch the flow of blood. "Are you ok?!" Seifer's brow creased with worry. He knew things weren't going well. Such was evident by the minor injuries scattered across both their bodies.   
            "Just a flesh wound, I'll be fine." Setzer cast an anxious gaze back the way he came, but found he couldn't see his daughter or her assailant anywhere. A mob of angry monsters and minions blocked his path. With a quick and fluid motion, Setzer sliced the air with his good arm and filled his hand with diamond-edged playing cards. Without looking at his ally, he said, "Seifer, we have to get out there, Faye's in trouble..." Setzer pointed with his card-filled hand. Seifer nodded, understanding Setzer's plan as the gambler began relating what happened in between fighting. Systematically eliminating enemy after enemy, they cut a path to their destination. It was slow going, which didn't bode well for either of the men as their anger and determination grew with each minion they slew. 

            After throwing Setzer to the tender mercies of his followers and minions, Pythas returned his attention to the lovely squirming mass he held in his arm. Paralyzation spells were unnecessary for this one; he could keep her physically confined with little difficulty. He looked down at her, basking in her growing fear and confusion. The tears that flowed down her face added to the exquisite beauty that held him in thrall. Oh, how he wanted to make this young woman his and his alone. He only needed to break her spirit...   
            "There's no way..." She mumbled, "I couldn't possibly..."   
            "Oh, but you did, my pet. You fairly well butchered your poor friend. He only sought to defend himself to bide his time until you came to...but you _murdered _him regardless." Pythas put up a mask of false sorrow as his free hand traced the delicate features of her face. Unable to raise her arms in protest, pinned down as they were, Faye was forced to tolerate it.   
            "I...I don't believe you!" Faye only half believed those words. She couldn't remember anything between the confu spell and her reawakening in Pythas' arms. The young woman knew that anything could have happened during her lapse in memory.   
            "I can see that you don't completely believe your own words. Here, " He brought his face close to hers. Faye could feel his warm breath on her face as he spoke, "Let me clear your thoughts..." He brought his lips to hers. Faye instantly lost control over her whole body as her limbs went limp and her mind reeled. When she came to, after a series of dizzying spells that lasted mere moments, she was not quite in her body but inside her own memory. With growing trepidation, Faye realized exactly when in her memory she was. A specter to the side of things, she witnessed the casting of the fateful confu spell for the second time. She saw her friends and comrades hold their breaths while she hacked and coughed, being the sole person unable to do so in time. Faye watched, in horror, as she savagely attacked Edgar with techniques and moves that he himself had taught her. Unable to close her eyes or look away, Faye witnessed herself slashing at his sword arm, chest, and leg.   
            '_No!!_' She thought, screaming at herself as her memory-double delivered the death blow, '_Edgar!!!_' As her doppleganger removed the sword, Edgar's body fell forward...then, all was black. After what seemed like forever, Faye's numbed mind returned to its senses bringing along with it the renewed pain she felt. There was no denying it now; she had killed Edgar. With that realization came the return of her tactile senses. She had control over her body once again and could now feel _his_ warm lips still pressing upon her own. Reeling in disgust, Faye pulled her head from Pythas' and turned hers away. She didn't look at him; anger, guilt, and pain were apart of the torrent of emotions coursing through her now. Faye was mortified. Her entire body trembled with the immense guilt and shame she felt knowing what she had done under the influence of a hallucinatory spell. No longer able to deny the truth of what she had witnessed with her very own eyes, Faye could do nothing but try to quell the growing sense of despair threatening to overwhelm her being.   
            '_I killed Edgar..I killed him!!! What have I done?!_' She shook her head as if that could make the awful reality dissolve into nothingness. Such was not the case, and her futile attempts to escape the truth were met only with Pythas' cruel laughter. He kept a close hold on her, trying to intimidate her to his will. His hand, which had been gently stroking her cheek again, seized hold of her jawbone and forced Faye to look into his eyes. He smiled wickedly, his lips parting as they began forming words.   
            "Faye. You are such a wonderful puppet, are you not? All I had to do was cast a simple spell and your instincts did the rest. It was in you to kill the late King. You are much like myself in ways you could once never imaginebut I will teach you, my dear. With the proper tutelage and guidance, you will become my greatest warrioramong other things, of course." His smile deepened, sending chills down the length of Faye's spine. Unable to control herself, Faye was overcame with a sudden rage that coursed through her entire body, taking command over her senses. She thrust her face into his hand, opened her mouth, and bit down upon it with all the strength she could muster. She fully expected to draw blood and when nothing happened she forced herself to bite even harder. Nothing, not a scratch or a drop of blood marred the hand she was attempting to maul. When a throaty chuckle tickled her ears, Faye's mouth parted ever so slightly in surprise. That was all Pythas needed to tear his hand free and deliver a firm backhand to Faye's right cheek. Such force was behind the blow that Faye's head was forced to roll with it. Her cheek stung and blood dribbled out the corner of her mouth, but she gave no outward reaction.   
            "You cannot hurt me. No one on this entire Planet can hurt me. I, my dear, am invincible. Nothing can harm me, be it magical or not. Try that again and you will achieve nothing." He glared at her, but she paid him no mind, "I think that now is a good time to rid myself of the pests who accompanied you here. I have let them live long enoughit is time to end the charade they call their lives. Look at them, Faye Gabbiani, for it will be the last time you ever see any of them alive. I will keep their preserved corpses around as a reminder to you of what will happen to others you love if you resist me." Pythas cast a sidelong glance over his shoulder, "Sowho will die first? Your father? That oaf Sabin? Or...no, wait. I know. Your lover, Seifer. Yes, his death will be a most painful and tortuous one. Watch as I-" Pythas stopped abruptly as a gob of spittle and blood dribbled down the side of his face. Faye's lip curled as she watched her handiwork slide down Pythas' cheek.   
            "Go to hell." She said frostily.   
            "You little" While Faye could not physically hurt Pythas, she had discovered that his pride could still be hurt by one of the most ancient of insults. His brow creased in a frown, displeasure evident on his features. He snarled savagely, enraged. Pythas grabbed Faye by the collar of her trench coat and lifted her off her feet. He brought her close to him and he hissed, "I will teach you what it means to cross me. I will teach you the true meaning of agony." Pythas pulled back his arm, then drove it forward, releasing Faye as his arm extended its full length. She flew a short distance as the force of Pythas' throw slammed her into the wall just in front of Edgar's corpse. Her shoulders hit first, inertia forcing her head backwards. With a deafening crack her head collided with the stone wall, stars exploding across her vision. Faye slid down the wall, toppling to the side as her feet unevenly hit the ground. She landed, unconscious, cheek first onto Edgar's bloody chest. Her own blood began to intermingle with his as it flowed down her face from a gash on the back of her head. 

            Sabin snapped out of his shock the moment Faye landed in front of him and on top of his brother's body. He reached out and stroked her hair, accidentally smearing some blood. His head dipped in sorrow.   
            "I'm sorryI couldn't save either of you." He stood up, still staring down at the carnage before him. Sabin had been utterly devastated by his brother's death at the hands of one of his most trusted friends. While he knew that it hadn't been her fault, Sabin had nevertheless been so shocked by the earlier turn of events that he subconsciously went into his own little world as a means of coping. Now that he had returned, his mind went along a different tangent. All he wanted now was revenge on the true source of all his misery. He turned on his heels and found himself a few feet away from his nemesis.   
            "Ah, the stalwart defender returns a little too lateagain." Pythas' barb hit home, Sabin remembered his earlier inability to protect Figaro Castle from Malachi's assault.   
            "Fuck you, pointdexter." Sabin spread his weight evenly between his two feet, entering into a martial arts stance. His hands were clenched into fists, the right-hand one armed with the deadly Tiger Fangs. "I'm going to avenge my brother and atone for my failure in protecting him and Faye by going medieval on your ass!!!" As he raised his arms ever so slightly, a gray aura surrounded his body. Sabin's eyes locked with Pythas' unblinking gaze. Pythas stood his ground, waiting patiently for Sabin to finish. With speed belying his size, Sabin closed the distance between the two in a heartbeat, "BUM RUSH!" He cried out. As the first claw of his weapon came into contact with the fragile fabric of a Fanatic's robes Sabin's jaw nearly dropped as the magically bonded appendage broke in two. Unable to halt his swing, Sabin could only watch as the rest of the supposedly unbreakable claws severed themselves from the glove. As was the case with any magical weapon that got damaged, the remains of the Tiger Fangs exploded around Sabin's very vulnerable hand. He lurched from the pain, stumbling into Pythas. All of this happened in the blink of an eye. Before Sabin could react, he felt five fingertips lightly press upon his chest. Sabin was in colossal anguish, his now-useless hand sending shockwaves of pain throughout his body. He had no time to move as Pythas uttered an arcane word.   
            "Firaga!" Searing flame blazed forth from Pythas' open palm, surging into Sabin's chest. The force behind the magic was enough to knock the martial artist off his feet. Sabin skipped across the floor, flames continuously licking at his upper torso as he flew. He was only able to stop when two pairs of unsteady hands grabbed him out of the air. Sabin's stomach lurched as he came to a sudden halt, bottom first on the floor. His hand and chest now both throbbed with pain, but he now found himself able to suppress the nearly overwhelming agony. With his good hand, he snuffed out his smouldering clothing.   
            "Sabin! My God!" Setzer helped his friend raise to unsteady feet despite the daggers he felt in his injured shoulder. The gambler glanced at Sabin's wounds, noting that it was a miracle he could still stand. The skin on Sabin's right hand had been completely ripped off, and the flesh on his chest looked like it had taken the full brunt of a blowtorch at point blank. A thought struck him and he asked his partner in arms, Seifer, if he had any cure spells. As it turned out, Seifer had used up his small supply earlier on during the battle. Sabin cradled his injured hand in the other, glaring over his shoulder at a slowly advancing Pythas. The Fanatics's leader had armed himself with a glaive-guisarme and looked like he knew how to use it.   
            "Looks like its up to us to stop him." Squall and Zell, having dispatched of their few remaining adversaries, joined their three remaining allies. The five of them readied themselves for a battle they weren't certain they could win. 

            The world slowly coalesced into something Faye's pain-stricken mind could comprehend. Sounds of a vicious battle raged in her ear, teasing her mind from its slumber. The clashing of metal upon metal coupled with what could only be the arcane casting of magic wreaked havoc on the young warrior's strained senses. Faye winced, momentarily overpowered by the stinging sensation on the back of her head and in her ears. She tried to shake her head hoping the stabbing needles would go away, but gasped in pain as her movements only worsened things. As it happened, she noticed something about her position that made her heart skip a beat; the left side of her face was lying on something room-temperature and quite wet. Her eyes widening, Faye suddenly remembered what had transpired and brought herself to a sitting position with a start, ignoring the agitated wound. Trembling ever so slightly, Faye let her wary gaze cross upon the very bloody corpse of the friend whom she had slain. Edgar's right arm had a deep gash down its length, ligament and muscle alike torn to shreds. His chest, which had received a serious cut across the pectoral muscles, was awash in so much blood that the stench almost caused Faye to choke. The blood had not had time to dry as it had not been that long since Edgar's untimely demise. His left leg was no better; there was a wound so deep that had rendered the limb almost useless. What caught her eye for the longest, however, was the blood-filled hole in her dear friend's stomach. Had it not been for the blood pooling inside it, Faye was sure she could have seen straight through to the ground upon which Edgar lie. She let out a strangled gasp, her voice catching in her hoarse throat. Faye tried to get up and away from the gory mess that she had created, but instead fell to her hands and knees, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe. As she cried Faye could feel blood, hers _and_ Edgar's blood, drip down her face forming a small puddle on the ground. For a moment, during one of the brief respites from the crying in which she struggled to stop, the fine hairs all over Faye's body stood on end as if stimulated by some static force. Her skin crawled, causing Faye to completely stop for a moment and look up at the scene before her.   
            "Oh shit!" Zell's panicked voice carried through the massive hall and reached Faye with ease. She smelt the burning oxygen in the air before seeing the lightning bolt headed in her direction. Without any time, or the energy, to get out of the way Faye was blinded when the electrical jolt consumed her body and pressed her pain threshold to its limits and beyond. She was thrown backwards into the wall, the force of the bolt keeping her suspended above the ground. Her brain felt like it was going to explode by the time the magical attack had run its course through her. When it passed, she sagged to the ground with her back against the wall and her head bowed forward. She rested her tired arms on her knees, barely able to maintain a steady grip on consciousness. Drifting in and out, existing in a state of semi-awareness, Faye's right hand fell to her side. As it gently brushed a firm cylindrical object, another jolt passed through Faye's body. This time, however, the only thing accompanying the jolt was a sudden sense of clarity; her mind was no longer befuddled by conflicting emotions or thoughts. Shocked and surprised, Faye pulled her hand away and immediately the sensation coursing through her blood ceased. Her pain gone, Faye looked down at her side searching for whatever it was that had granted her such ease of mind in an instant. Seeing the Atma Weapon's empty hilt lying at her side, Faye was caught with a sudden resurgence of the sadness that had so consumed her only moments before.   
            '_I...I couldn't possibly...not after what I...Pythas made me do..._' Despite her silent protests, Faye felt compelled by an unseen yet very familiar and powerful force to pick up the bladeless sword. The moment her fingertips came in contact with the warm golden metal, the intense surge of energy resumed. She picked it up and gazed at it, feeling a deep sadness. While she now understood that it had not been her fault, Edgar's death had a tremendous impact on Faye all the same.   
            She continued to stare at the hilt, mesmerized by the power she felt from it. As she gazed, a soft and regal voice whispered gently in her ear.   
            "...Faye...don't move...listen to me..." The voice was unmistakably Edgar's. Despite the knowledge that Edgar was lying in a pool if blood in front of her, Faye listened to what could only be Edgar's spirit from the Great Beyond, "...you can do it, Faye..! Accomplish what I never could achieve....release its full power!" With those final cryptic words, the voice simply ceased to exist. Faye closed her eyes in reflection.   
            "The Atma Weapon...you were talking about it, weren't you Edgar? All right...I know what to do now." She reached over and placed a hand on Edgar's cooling cheek, "Thank you, my friend. I'll care for you always." With renewed confidence, Faye slowly brought herself to a standing position. She held the sword in her right hand, willing the blade into existence as Edgar had once done in life. The blade, a magnificent translucent blue, flared to a length of four feet. It glowed with a brilliance all its own, adding to the illumination in the room. Faye walked around Edgar's body, mouthing a silent prayer as she went. She stood three feet in front of it, protectively guarding it from attack. Faye spread her feet, applying her weight evenly between them. She held the sword in front of her, the tip of the blade pointing directly towards her nemesis. Faye surveyed the battle scene and decided that things could be going better. Seifer was the only one still able to fight despite a newly formed limp in his left leg that made his task doubly hard. Zell and Squall were unconscious on the ground, the former with his leg twisted grotesquely underneath his body. Both had multiple gashes and abrasions all over their bodies. Sabin and Setzer were no better, though they were still conscious. The veteran warriors were suffering from very serious wounds and were forced to watch from the sidelines as they would only hinder the last remaining fighter's chances at success, chances that were slim to none. As Faye's brow furrowed in anger, the sword she carried reacted in response. Lightning fast tendrils of energy surged from the blade in a pinwheel of motion all around Faye. This attracted the attention of the four others still conscious in front of her. Sabin stared at Faye, his face sheet white. His mouth worked, trying to form words, but he found himself speechless. Setzer nodded to himself almost imperceptibly, he understood what his daughter had to do. Faye opened her mouth and spoke, addressing the man responsible for all the suffering she had witnessed, and felt, in the past month.   
            "Pythas! It is time for us to end this here and now. Face me in combat or die by my sword where you stand!" Sensing that Faye was about to unleash some horrible power, Seifer backed away from Pythas. He knew it wouldn't do them any good if he, too, was caught in whatever Faye threw at their enemy. "You have tormented us long enough, I will not allow you to continue and hurt any others. This mad campaign of yours ends here." Pythas listened silently, 'allowing' Faye to waste her energy by preaching to him. He watched in fascination as the tendrils extending from the sword grew in size in relation to Faye's anger. They were practically caressing the high ceiling ten feet above their heads. "This is for all the pain you've caused, for all the people you've killed...THIS IS FOR EDGAR..._ATMA REVIVAL!!!!_" Suddenly the engorged tendrils began to combine together halfway between Faye and Pythas. Now there existed a vaguely spherical shape that pulsated each time she drew a breath. That shape didn't last long, however, as it stretched in length and grew a long sinewy tail. From its sides, the non-sphere grew clawed and muscular limbs. From the end opposite the tail grew a head, multiple horns erupting from its 'skull'. Spikes vaguely reminiscent of some mad scientist's grotesque creation exploded from the translucent blue back. Muscles rippled across the surface of the being, immeasurably massive and powerful. A deafening roar shook the tower as the spirit-creature opened its massive maw, revealing razor sharp teeth the same color and texture as the rest of its body. Sabin and Setzer watched in horror, reliving the battle they once fought against the spirit's true form.   
            "My God...she's released it...Faye's unleashed the spirit of the Atma Weapon!!" Setzer hadn't felt this powerful presence in twelve years; he had hoped never to feel it again. Now that it had returned, Setzer had no idea which way the scales of battle would tip. Atma had been a malevolent force in its lifetime; who could say that things have changed now that Faye had released it from its slumber.   
            "This just keeps getting better and better doesn't it..?" Sabin commented cynically, finally finding his voice and gasping as the effort to speak sent a shudder of pain through him. Together, the crippled warriors watched the ensuing confrontation. 

            With a final, almost pitying gaze, Faye looked at Pythas. He was completely untouched by the earlier skirmish, and definitely unafraid of the beast looming before him now. He stood defiantly, completely expecting the technique to fail. With a certainty Faye felt from within, she knew that she would succeed despite her opponent's confidence. With Edgar's spirit as her guide, and the sword as her tool, victory would be hers. Faye held the glowing sword in both hands, pointing it to the floor. With a suddenness that startled all onlookers she plunged it deep into the ground. It sank through the marbled floor as if the rock had suddenly turned into mud. Tremors followed by an intense shockwave originated from the submerged sword and spurred the summoned spirit into action. Opening its maw wide, the Behemoth-sized creature bounded forward, its immensely powerful haunches easily allowing it to reach Pythas in the span of a breath. Pythas, his belief in his invulnerability absolute, spread his arms wide and embraced the coming force. A malicious smile creeped across his face but vanished the moment the creature's claws tore into his robes and grazed his chest. Blood sprayed forth as the creature collided with Pythas and plowed into the latter's chest, exploding in a painfully blinding flash. When both the pain of his wound and the presence of the Atma Weapon subsided, Pythas slowly opened his eyes. He blinked a few times, clearing his vision. He suddenly felt a feeling completely alien to the young leader; agony. He clutched his glaive-guisarme in one hand, and his newly formed wound in the other. The air caught in his throat as he happened upon a startling revelation; he was bleeding! Pythas, the Leader of the Fanatics, was _injured_! He looked at Faye, wild-eyed. She was kneeling in front of the embedded sword, breathing deeply with her head bowed. From this distance, Pythas could clearly make out the bloodstained face and hair that granted her a demonic look. He backed up a step.   
            '_T-this is impossible! Nothing should be able to get through my magical and physical barriers! How the hell can she control such power? How can she get around the magic field once surrounding this very tower? How?!_' With both hands, Pythas held his polearm defensively in front of him. '_That's it..that's what that thing did...it dispelled my immunities and...and drained my magic! DAMN!_' Pythas then readied himself for an assault. He could still fight. Even without his defensive barriers or his magic he could still take her on. '_The others are of no concern to me; they're all defenseless, except..._' Leaving that thought trailing, Pythas turned his gaze to Seifer. The SeeD member could barely stand on his left leg, the pain so intense that sweat beaded on his forehead. Reaching into his robes, Pythas pulled out a dagger and threw it at the young man's gut. Seifer tried to move out of the way but his leg gave out from under him and inadvertently placed his head in the line of fire. He stared wide-eyed as the blade was knocked to the side when it was mere centimeters from impact. A finely-honed playing-dart skittered to the ground. Pythas returned his gaze back to Faye, eyes narrowing. She was still kneeling on the ground, but now her right arm was extended outwards having just released the dart. Pythas' lip curled. '_Like father like daughter_. _That one is becoming more trouble than she is worth. I know now that I won't be able to bend her to my will. A pity I'll have to kill such an enticing...creature._' With a vicious snarl, Pythas tore the upper fabric off his robes to allow him a better freedom of movement. He wanted to assure that _nothing_ impeded his movement as he tore Faye limb from limb. Without any formal battle cry or warning, Pythas covered the distance between himself and his objective with his weapon raised high. He brought it swiftly upon Faye, ready to cleave her head clean off her shoulders. Unexpectedly, the Atma Weapon swung upwards and parried the deathblow. Faye looked Pythas in the eye, her stare a deadly one. She knew his games and had been prepared for such an underhanded and honorless attack. She pressed forward, shoving him backwards to allow herself enough space to rise to her feet. She kept Edgar's sword in front of her, ready to deflect any further attacks.   
            '_That technique took a lot out of me, but I know I can still do this. I _have_ to do this!_' She thought as she readied herself. That thought soon vanished amid a torrent of others, however, as they both leaped forward and met in a trial of mettle against mettle. 

            The ensuing battle that raged was one that would have put the awesome might of the summon Griever to shame. Student to the greatest swordsman to live fought against most likely the master of the glaive-guisarme. Sparks flew as their fearsome weapons clashed time and again, neither fighter giving nor taking any quarter. Faye was at a disadvantage in the fight but managed to find opportunities to get inside Pythas' ten-foot reach to strike at his armorless torso. Pythas, too, was able to get past Faye's lightning-fast parries to slice at her unprotected self. Both beings were covered in a multitude of minor gashes and wounds but neither showed any signs of tiring.  
Faye chanced a look over her shoulder and realized with a start that she was slowly being herded into a corner. Remebering what had happened to Edgar, Faye quickly formulated a plan to escape her certain demise. '_I have to get around him somehow..._' She thought, dodging an uncomfortably close polearm blade. The hook attached to the flat of the weapon head tore the left tail off Faye's trenchcoat in the process. Faye reached into her jacket's inner right pocket and grabbed something from within and clutched it in a tightly clenched fist. She watched carefully as Pythas came at her again and let herself give just a little under his barrage to invite him ever closer. After deflecting another swing, Faye threw at Pythas what she had concealed in her hand a moment before. A cloud of white chalk burst in Pythas face, momentarily distracting the madman as he choked on the thick dust. Faye took advantage of Pythas' lapse in concentration and rolled to the ground going past her opponent, coming up to her feet just behind him. Honor bound, Faye waited as Pythas turned to face her yet again. She could not bring herself to strike a distracted opponent in the back.   
            "Very good..." Pythas hissed once he recovered, "I never expected the defunct monarch to have taught you so well..." He hefted the weapon in his hands as if testing its strength, "I am glad Malachi failed to kidnap you...fighting you on these terms will make your death all the more satisfying." Without giving Faye the chance to reply, Pythas threw himself at her swinging at her left midsection. She brought the Atma Weapon up to block his attack, but Pythas quickly drew back and swung his glaive-guisarme, rolling it around his hip and sinking its barb deep into Faye's right side on the follow through. The stab of pain lancing through Faye's body was almost enough to cause her to drop her magnificent blade. She had no time to react, however, as Pythas tore the weapon free from her body, taking a chunk of flesh along with it. Faye gritted her teeth, forcing herself to concentrate and ignore the pain. This had been the first major wound incurred by either person in the fight and was more than enough to compare to those covering other parts of her body.   
            "Damn..." She muttered, taking a few steps back, blood flowing from her wounds onto the floor. She almost slipped, her high-heeled boots finding little grip on the slick floor. Suddenly, a thought occured to her and Faye reached for her pocket to pluck out a healing vial given to her a month before but stopped short of her goal when she remembered that they had been consumed during the flight up the Tower. "So be it. I'll keep going as I am." Faye was starting to find it difficult to breathe, let alone fight, but she pressed on. She had to.   
            Pythas shook the polearm he held, flecks of blood and flesh showering them both as he advanced upon Faye. She continued to backup in response. As she went, Faye slammed her right heel sharply into the ground, a two inch blade popping out of the front of her boot. Pythas jabbed his weapon at Faye, but again the four-foot long blade of the Atma Weapon knocked it aside, this time with such force that the glaive-guisarme nearly flew from Pythas's hands. Faye didn't complain, though, as it granted enough time and space for her to close in on Pythas and kick at his chest wound with a well-placed roundhouse, aggravating it further. Continuing with the momentum, Faye spun back around and slashed at Pythas' left arm with the sword.   
            "UGAAAAAAAH!!" Pythas screamed in agony, his eyes blazing with fury and hatred. Rage consuming his mind, Pythas came at Faye again in a succession of rapid swings and thrusts that the young woman barely had enough time to counter. She was being effectively pressed back yet again. Faye almost stumbled backwards as her boot heel fell upon a set of stairs. Carefully stepping backwards up the saircase, Faye did her best to keep a beserking Pythas from breaking through her defenses. She made it up on the dais, but not before her right leg was torn from hip to calf by a lucky strike. Her pupils dialated in response to her body's reactions to the critical wound. Limping awkwardly, Faye backed up till she was mere feet away from the edge of the raised platform upon which she stood. Pythas was just coming up the final step when Faye realized that this was it. One of them would die in the next skirmish; a very short lived one at that.   
            "Looks like your luck has finally run out, eh? You've gambled...and lost!" His face a reflection of his maddened and tortured soul, Pythas ran at Faye, his polearm pointing straight at her heart. His movements were sloppy, his injuries beginning to take their toll. Summoning up the last reserves of her strength, Faye dove underneath Pythas' makeshift lance and through the gap in between his legs. Springing rather painfully to her feet, Faye spun around and plunged the Atma Weapon through the small of Pythas' back and out his stomach. The knowledge that everyone she loved would most certainly die if she didn't do it was the catalyst necessary for her to perform the distasteful act. Pythas gasped in shock, dropping his polearm. It clattered to the ground far below. He choked down the bile creeping up his throat, forcing it down so he could speak. His hands groped the sword in an effort to remove it from his bleeding stomach with no luck. Hearing Faye's raspy breathing behind him gave Pythas little satisfaction in his dying hour. The dethroned and humiliated leader knew that in reality it was he that had lost the gamble, not Faye.   
            "...I-is...this kill...for...your fall...fallen King, too..?" Pythas' skin tingled as he felt Faye lean closer, her shortened breath on his neck. He tried to raise his arms to swing at her, but found that his strength had left him. When Faye spoke to him, it was soft and almost sultry,   
            "No...t-this...ungh...THIS IS FOR ME!!!" She yelled the final words harsly as she brought her face back and pulled upwards sharply. Unimpeded, the Atma Weapon sliced through Pythas' body and passed through his fragile cranium with a satisfying geyser of blood erupting. Once the sword was free, Pythas' limp and broken body fell off the edge of the dais and landed in a crumpled heap on the floor below.   
            Faye watched the body fall, but only had a moment to savor her victory for her brain chose that second to release the pain it had been numbing for some time. Instinctively, Faye doubled over, her left arm cradeling her badly bleeding midsection. Her right hand, clutching the sword, was all that propped her up and kept her from joining Pythas on the floor.   
            "Faye!" A voice called to her from what seemed like so far away, but was only down below. Amid the overwhelming pain, Faye belatedly realized that it was Seifer who had called to her. She didn't look in his direction, however, as her gaze was focused on the rapidly shrinking blade she was holding. The meaning of such a phenomena hit her mind only seconds later. The Atma Weapon had kept its full length only _until_ the end of the climactic battle.   
            '_I...I'm dying..._' To Faye, that thought brought no fear, only a sense of peace; she had done her job and everyone was safe.   
            Her vision was dimming. She found it hard to focus her eyes on anything, her sight slowly fading in time with her gasping intakes of air. She toppled over onto her side and managed to roll herself onto her back, her chest heaving but providing no relief from the excruciating agony. She faintly heard shuffling coming slowly up the stairs accompanied by someone frantically calling her name. The pain slowly ebbed away only to be replaced by a welcome and relieving warmth. She turned her head and blankly stared at the Atma Weapon. Its blade was scarcely longer than a small dagger.   
            Shaky hands lifted her up, strong arms cradelling her to a quivering chest. Warm tears dripped on her face, rolling down her cheeks and mixing with her own.   
            "Faye...Faye! Please..oh God, please don't leave me. Don't leave me alone..not again...I can't...bear that again. I'm not strong enough...I...I love you too much to let you go!!" Seifer held her tightly, as if that would be enough to stop her from fading away. Violent shudders wracked his body as a fresh flood of tears flowed from his raw eyes. As his cheek pressed against hers, Seifer found that he could barely feel her breath on his neck. He begged, prayed, to hear her voice one last time. Then, as if some God or Angel granted his only wish, Faye spoke her final words,   
            "I'll...always love...you. Remember...me..." Faye's heart slowly came to a stop just as her final breath escaped her cracked and bloody lips. The hilt was all that remained of the Atma Weapon as it fell from her lifeless hand. 

* * *

            Blackness. Faye never expected death to be so beautiful nor so dark. She walked endlessly in the darkness, her corporeal being taking her to some unseen destination. From the direction she was walking, a bright flash reminiscent of a sun's corona flared to life. It beckoned her to continue forward and as Faye found no reason to do otherwise, she obeyed. With a sense of satisfaction Faye found that the distance between herself and the light was swiftly decreasing.   
            In front of the radiance stood a man, his features obscured by the angelic glow behind him. When Faye neared him, she recognized the figure standing before her. Edgar held out his hand for her to grasp. With a growing sense of comfort, Faye accepted the hand. Both of them were completely healed and together they continued the rest of the distance to what Faye now realized was a portal. Hand in hand, they leapt through it and into the Great Beyond. 

End of Chapter 3

**

END OF PART 3

**

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


	9. Epilogue

Final Fantasy Perfect Gamble - PART I 

  
Final Fantasy 6, 8 and all related characters © Squaresoft.   
Story, and Faye are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire.  
Edited by Arayenya

FINAL FANTASY PERFECT GAMBLE

**PART 3**

Epilogue

            She bolted upright in bed, the terrifying images from her dreams forcing her from a restless slumber. Horrifying events that she had once witnessed some time ago had come to haunt the young woman once again; the touch of _his_ hands on her body, of _his_ lips upon her own were both images that had imprinted themeselves in her mind. Breathing deeply, she forced herself to calm down and forget what should remain in the past.   
            She swung her legs over the side of the bed, disturbing the bedsheets and sending small soft objects flying every which way in the process. Pausing a moment, she then reached over to her bedside table and turned the oil lamp sitting upon it on. Bright light flooded the room, illuminating it in crystal clear detail. She sat upon her bed surrounded by rose petals. The room, one familliar to the young woman, seemed untouched and unchanged since she had last seen it. Rising to her feet, she smiled, already forgetting the horrible images from her nightmares. She walked over to one corner of the room, where a full-body mirror waited, and stood in front of it. Deciding that her nightgown was much too revealing for her tastes, she opted to change into a pair of silk pyjamas given to her for her last birthday. She promptly retrieved the desired articles of clothing and returned to the mirror. Platinum-blue hair cascaded around her shoulders as she pulled the nightgown over her head. She stood for a moment in front of the mirror, the wind caressing every curve of her nude body. Something struck her as odd while she looked at herself, something was different from what she remembered. Her right hand drifted to her midsection and it was then that she remembered what had changed; the terrible wound she had received there was gone. She started to tremble, tears of joy streaming down her face. Remembering what had happened and where she should be, she exclaimed,   
            "I'm alive..!" Running her hand through her loose hair, Faye was surprised to find that even her head wound had completely healed, "I'm alive!" She then turned around a bit to allow herself a better view of the side of her right leg. She twisted her torso slightly and stared at her appendage in the mirror; it was completely unscathed, the pale skin unmarred by any form of wound. Her gaze then wandered all over the rest of her body, stopping only when she happened upon a scar that she had never knew existed there before. '_I don't remember getting hurt there..._' She stared at it in wonder for a moment until she realized that it wasn't a scar but something quite different. A red cross tattoo was emblazoned across her right shoulder blade. She looked at it carefully, remembering where she had once seen that cross before. It was a symbol for someone very close to her, someone she loved dearly. "...Seifer..." Gingerly, she touched her lover's symbol and felt a warmth course through her fingers as they came in contact with it. Somehow, she knew that it was because of Seifer that she was again alive. She hurried up and dressed quickly, pulling her clothing onto her naked body. '_If I'm back...then so must..._' Tearing the door to her room open, she ran into the hallway. Looking up and down the corridor, she started to make way for the royal bedrooms but stopped suddenly. Instead of continuing, she turned and went the other way heading for the tower she knew he frequented most often. Faye's bare feet padded softly on the cold stone floor as she walked along the corridor. She could barely contain herself as she made her way up the spiral staircase that lead to her destination. '_I have to know....I have to see if what I did has been undone, if _he's_ back too..._' Faye's long hair billowed behind her while she wound her way up to the tower's parapet. She finally emerged outside, the moonlight greeting her exit from the castle. Everyting was illuminated by the iridescence, Faye had no trouble seeing everything around her as easily as she would have during the day. Her heart sank as she realized that she was completely alone upon the tower. She sighed heavily.   
            "So much for my gut instinct..." Taking one last look all around, Faye turned and started to go back down the stairs. A strong and commanding voice cut through the stillness of the night, forcing her to stop.   
            "Faye." Her eyes widened and she turned in the direction of the voice's origins. A bemused look crossed her face as she found herself staring at a mass of pipes and machinery that were used in Figaro Castle's sand-submersions.   
            "Am I hearing voices again?" She asked no one in particular. A chuckle followed by soft footfalls answered her. Within seconds, _he_ was coming around a large pipe to greet her. His sleeping attire fluttered in the wind, the loose fabrics of his outfit caught by the sparodic gusts. Long lengths of blond hair fared no better, the occasional strand flying in his face. Like Faye, he had been restless that night and had chosen fresh air over the confines of a stuffy castle.   
            "Edgar..." Faye ran to him and wrapped her arms around Edgar's midsection. They hugged each other tightly, both grateful to be alive and to see each other once more. "I'm so sorry...I'm so, so sorry for what happened...I didn't mean to---" Faye stopped when Edgar placed a hand over her mouth.   
            "Sssh. I know, dear. I know it wasn't your fault. It's all right now; somehow, everything's all right again." He removed his hand and then wiped away her tears. With his chin on her head and his hand now holding her shoulder, he squeezed Faye tight, understanding how the poor young woman felt. She held him back, not wanting everything to disappear into oblivion like a dream. "We did it Faye..you did it. You saved us all."   
            "I wasn't alone though. You were there helping me, weren't you? You gave me the strength I needed."   
            "I did what I could, Faye. Erm, being dead made it kind of difficult to do much." He released her and looked Faye deep in the eyes. He could tell that a burden had been lifted from her shoulders now that she knew Edgar didn't hold her responsable for his death. "I...somehow I was able to stay behind in spirit and I did the only thing I could to help; I made it possible for the Atma Weapon's blade to stay intact as long as it did by supporting it with my aura. Normally..."   
            "Normally it shrinks in response to damage taken by it's wielder..I know." Faye shook her head, a silly thought occuring to her, "So...you stayed there the entire time to help me even though you could have gone straight to heaven and basked in the company of gorgeous half-naked angels?" She smiled despite herself. Edgar grinned, then shrugged nonchalantly as he replied,   
            "Meh, I knew I'd have plenty of time for that later...and did I ever!! I almost didn't want to leave, heh heh." Edgar led the way back to his perch upon the parapet.   
            "Shamless as ever, huh?" Faye's mood softened as a faraway look came upon her features. "Speaking of Heaven...my time there was so short. But I saw her, Edgar. I finally met my mother."   
            "Daryl? Oh god, Faye..." His young friend continued, her voice quivering as she spoke.   
            "For the first time in eighteen years, I saw my mother. She was gorgeous, more beautiful than the pictures father carries of her. She...she took me in her arms and held me to her bosom. We talked for what seemed like an eternity, though I know it was far less than that. Mother told me...she said that she was proud of me, proud of the woman I'd become and what I'd accomplished." Faye closed her eyes a moment, "She even had a message for me to pass on to father: 'If Setzer feels the need to move on ever again, tell him to have better taste in women than those opera house floozies!!' " She laughed at Daryl's message, then turned her attention back to Edgar. He leaned against the parapet as he spoke.   
            "I envy you, Faye. It's not every day we get to visit ghosts from the past."   
            "I know, Edgar, I know. I'm glad I got to see her just this once. I'll cherish the memory always."   
            "That's the way to do it." Edgar reached over and picked something up from within arms length and brought it close. He hefted it in his hand a moment before tossing it to Faye. She caught it and with more than a little surprise saw that it was the Atma Weapon's hilt. Edgar didn't give her the chance to say anything though, as he wasn't finished talking, "It's times like this that make me proud you _were_ my squire. I think..now that you've come into your own that it's time I gave you that. Your training is done. Please, take it."   
            "Wait a sec...you mean my training is done? I...I don't know what to say. I'm honored..." Faye held the Atma Weapon tightly to her chest. Not for the first time in her life, she was flushed with a sense of pride. "Thank you Edgar, I won't disappoint you."   
            "I know you won't." Edgar seemed about to say more, but decided otherwise and instead looked back at the faint lights glittering in the distance. South Figaro had yet to go to rest for the night. He felt a soft tug on his nightshirt and knew that Faye had picked up on his unvoiced thought.   
            "Um, Edgar. How...how is it we're alive again? I mean...isn't it impossible to bring people back from the dead?" Faye had a look in her face that begged to be told the answers. Though it was in her nature to thrive on the unknown and chance, there were times in her life that it was necessary to know all the facts before proceeding. This was one of them. She let his sleeve go and turned. Bringing her left arm around, she pulled down the collar on her pyjamas and revealed the cross tattoo, "I'm certain it has something to do with this." She let him have a decent look before turning back to face him.   
            "Well...for the most part, that works with my theory that we were brought back by some form of miracle." Edgar began to tick facts off on his fingers, "See, phoenix downs can't bring people back; they're only used to resusitate those who are gravely wounded. Life spells don't exist on our planet anymore, and it's very difficult to acquire them on Seifer's. That all made me think that they had to find some ulterior means of bringing us to life." Edgar placed a hand on his chin contemplatively, "I wonder, though...what that mark of yours has to do with it. I know I don't have one..." He shook his head, "I wouldn't worry about it...I'm sure everyone will tell us in good time what happened." He patted Faye gently on the back, rubbing ever so slightly like he did when she was younger. He smiled at the memories that came flooding back; Faye had always been like a kid sister to Sabin and him.   
            "You're right, as always. Eh, what's that?" Both turned at the sound of approaching footsteps. From their vantage point they had a clear view of the stairwell. Anyone coming up the stairs would be hard pressed to see them, however, as Faye had earlier discovered. Voices that carried easily over the near-silence accompanied the footsteps.   
            "Yeah, yeah, I know. Patience has never been one of my virtues..." Seifer laughed sardonically, effectively mocking what he knew to be one of his greatest faults. To Edgar and Faye's shock, they heard _Sabin_ laughing along with Seifer.   
            "I'm no scholar when it comes to that either, ha ha. My brother got the lion's share of patience between the two of us." They stepped out into the breezy night air, both taking a moment to appreciate their brief respite from the day's activities. Neither had stopped since they had awakened that morning.   
            "Yeah, no shit." They walked straight across from the stairwell and propped themselves against the parapet wall. On the side adjacent to them, two figures listened on in awe as Sabin and Seifer talked together peacably.   
            "This, " Sabin said, changing the subject and extending an arm outwards, encompassing the country of Figaro in it's entirety, "This is Faye's home, Seifer. This land, this planet, these people are all she knows. We've done what we could to teach her, and I've never been more proud of anyone in my life. Thing is, there isn't much more she can learn while she's confined within the limits she's set out for herself right now." Sabin steeled himself for something even he found difficult to suggest. '_It's not easy letting go...but I made a promise to myself and to her._' Sabin stood up straight, as did Seifer, and faced away from the castle as he spoke, "Ask her to go with you back to your Planet, ask her to join SeeD."   
            Seifer took a moment before answering. He thought about all that had happened long and hard before voicing his reply. Even considering all that they had gone through together, would she want to leave the place most familliar to her and come to live with him in a place completely alien? "I've thought about that many times over already and still I find that one question constantly lingers; would she even want to leave this place? Am I worth the sacrifice on her part? Does she--" Seifer's voice caught in the back of his throat as delicate fingers wound their way around to his stomach. Then he felt a soft and warm body press against his back as arms closed around him.   
            "I'd follow you to the ends of the earth." Seifer turned around in her arms and there she was, holding him. Faye's immersing eyes stared at him with a softness and a love that Seifer had never known in his life until he met her. There was a deep bond between them that not even death had been able to sever. He held her back, tighter than ever, afraid that she'd disappear once more and leave him alone to face the world.   
            "Faye...my beautiful Faye. Don't ever leave me again..." Retreating footsteps spoke of their sudden privacy. "I love you too much to ever let you go."   
            "I won't leave...now that I'm back, I won't ever leave your side." She lifted her head up, positioning it so she was only a scant few centimeters from him, "And I love you, more than words could ever possibly describe." And with those words as her crescendo, she sealed their voyage into the tempestous sea of their love, embracing him as she had never done before. 

* * *

            Edgar watched the Falcon depart in the swiftly dimming light. Many months had passed since the zepplin and it's only pilot had flown that particular path. It didn't surprise the aging King that Setzer had chosen this moment in time to visit his late lover's tomb. '_Years lifted off of Setzer's face when Faye told him yesterday that she had seen Daryl..._'   
            "Hey Edgar...think this is it?" Sabin stood beside his twin brother having also chosen to see Setzer off from atop their favorite tower. His normally spiky hair clung to his skull, the oppressive heat of the day only just starting to subside.   
            "What do you mean..?" A bemused look crossed Edgar's features.   
            "It seems like things are coming to a close. Faye's with Seifer training as a SeeD, we all managed to come out of this latest adventure alive and well, even if it did take some time on our part to get you and Faye back to life." He sighed heavily, "Don't you think that it's about time we each got settled down and thought about starting our own families?" With a hearty laugh, Edgar clapped his brother on the shoulder,   
            "Sabin, Sabin, Sabin. You should know better than to think that things are coming to a close. With our amazing run of luck another crisis is merely around the corner." Edgar turned around and led the way to the stairwell, "And as for starting families, I think I remember seeing a real looker somewhere in the castle..."   
            "You never change, do you Edgar?" Sabin asked, cutting his would-be womanizing brother off before another syllable could be uttered.   
            "I'd never change even if you paid me; life is simply too much fun as I am."   
            "Says you."   
            "Oh! Are you saying I'm _not_ fun?!" Edgar gave Sabin a skeptical look.   
            "Not that you're not fun...just that you cramp my style..."   
            "Please...I think it's more likely that _you_ cramp _my_ style, brother dear..."   
            As they descended the tower, their insults were swiftly carried away by the wind. Hearts were finally able to rest as this trying chapter in their lives came to a peaceful close. Sabin and Edgar headed to their bedrooms, both praying that while they were sleeping Figaro Castle would remain in it's little niche in the middle of the desert. 

**

THE END

**

Final Fantasy and all related characters, concepts, or media are Copyright © Squaresoft. Perfect Gamble, Faye, and all related characters and concepts are © 2001 Laurie Lemaire. Do not copy, alter, or redistribute w/out my written consent.


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